Butzel Long was selected as the Best Company to Work for in a 2005 Best of Detroit poll by Hour Detroit Magazine, metropolitan Detroit’s monthly magazine.

In 2006, Butzel Long was recognized and awarded by the Oakland Region of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan as having the "Most Progressive Work-Life Balance Policies" for women attorneys.


Summer Associates

Thank you for your interest in Butzel Long. We are one of the leading law firms in Michigan and the Midwest, and our work for clients extends throughout the world.

This section of our site is organized to provide information about several aspects of our firm and about career opportunities at Butzel Long. We have included details about our summer program for law students, information for associate and lateral hires, and postings of non-attorney employment opportunities.

We are proud of the people who are part of Butzel Long, from our attorneys to our administrative personnel. Our vision is to be the law firm of choice for providing practical, cost-effective, client-centered solutions for local and global clients. We emphasize attracting and retaining attorneys and employees who understand and support this shared vision, and who are able to achieve professional growth and satisfaction in our organization.

Our commitment to this vision is achieved through several ways: superlative service and uncompromising work quality; working in partnership with our clients; continuously investing in personnel, training, client industry focused research and knowledge management; and fostering a workplace marked by diligent work effort, collegiality, teamwork, diversity, community involvement and a commitment to the profession.

We believe we are part of something special at Butzel Long, and we encourage you to explore the opportunity of learning more about us and our vision for the future. Our legacy stretches back over 150 years, helping clients realize their aspirations in growing and shaping existing businesses, developing new industries and achieving personal goals. Michigan is reestablishing itself globally as a center of innovation and creative thinking, and Butzel Long is part of that future.

I personally invite you to find out more about our history, our culture, and why we believe the future is very bright at Butzel Long. If you would like to be part of our vision and think that your objectives for professional growth and satisfaction can be achieved in our organization, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Philip J. Kessler
Chairman and Shareholder



Program Description

Our summer associate program is open to a select handful of promising law students. It is their opportunity to get hands-on experience regarding the practice of law as well as exposure to the various areas of law available. The intimate size of the program at Butzel Long provides an extremely valuable perspective of our firm and significant exposure to attorneys at all levels of experience. The feedback and comments we have received from past summer associates identify the size of our program, and the opportunities for in-depth and wide-ranging experiences as two of the most attractive features of our summer program that truly differentiate us from other firms.

Law students employed as summer associates are given assignments throughout the firm to provide exposure to as many attorneys and as many areas of practice as possible. All summer associates spend the majority of the summer in the firm's Detroit office, and a week in the firm's Oakland County and Ann Arbor offices. In addition to in-office assignments, summer associates attend client conferences, real estate closings, arbitrations, negotiations, depositions, motion hearings, and trials to obtain a realistic perspective of the firm's practice.

A shareholder and associate mentor team is assigned to each summer associate to facilitate the transition into the firm, answer questions about office procedures, and coordinate work assignments.

A summer associate work distribution coordinator assists the mentor teams in making sure that summer associates receive diverse, interesting and challenging assignments. Feedback is encouraged as to each completed assignment, and there is a performance review process at the midpoint of the summer experience.

Summer associates get an opportunity to learn about the firm's marketing and client development initiatives, including how various programs fit into an individual attorney's practice development. The firm also sponsors several social events during the summer to help acquaint summer associates with the firm's attorneys and with the many cultural, athletic and entertainment attractions in Detroit and Southeast Michigan.



Link to: NALP Directory of Legal Employers Listing


If you are interested in learning about professional opportunities with Butzel Long, please contact:

James A. Gray III
Director of Professional Recruiting - Butzel Long
150 West Jefferson, Suite 100
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Email: recruiting@butzel.com

NOTE: Butzel Long is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination, including but not limited to harassment, on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, height, weight, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. Butzel Long does not consider and takes no responsibility for unsolicited video resumes submitted for employment consideration; any unsolicited video employment materials received will be destroyed.

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