Join Our Team
Handsâon plaintiffâside litigation experience for law students and recent graduates who want to do real work that helps real people. At McEldrew Purtell, youâll contribute to active catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases – researching and drafting motions, assisting with discovery and expert work, observing (and when ready, participating in) depositions and hearings, and helping prepare matters for trial. Youâll be paired with a mentor, receive structured redlines on every assignment, and learn inside small, trialâready teams. Summer, semester, and postâbar tracks available; all inquiries are confidential.
What We Do
We represent individuals and families in high-stakes, complex cases. Our attorneys manage lean dockets with deep resources, expert support, and a trial-first strategy.
Core Case Types
- Catastrophic Injury (TBI, spinal cord injury, amputation, severe burns)
- Wrongful Death
- Medical Malpractice (surgical errors, misdiagnosis, birth injuries, hospital negligence)
- Trucking & Commercial Vehicle Crashes
- Rideshare & Delivery Vehicle Collisions
- Product Liability (consumer, industrial, and medical devices)
- Premises Liability (unsafe property conditions, negligent security)
- Construction & Workplace Accidents
- Fires & Explosions Injuries
- Civil Rights (excessive force & police shootings, wrongful conviction)
- Railroad & FELA Accidents
- Supply Chain Injuries (cargo, docking, delivery, etc.)
- Toxic Tort
- Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
Ideal Candidates
You’re curious, prepared, and care about people. You want meaningful casework – not busywork – and youâre eager to see how elite trial teams build results for clients. Then you are what we are looking for!
Qualifications
- Rising 2L or 3L (evening students welcome)
- Effective communicator with professional empathy and judgment.
- Strong legal writing and research skills
- Genuine interest in catastrophic injury & wrongful death litigation
- Bar admission pending (for postâbar track)
Program Tracks
- Summer Clerkship (FullâTime) â 10â12 weeks of immersive litigation training and case work.
- Semester / PartâTime â 12â20 hrs/week during the academic year (flexible around classes).
- PostâBar Law Clerk â Fullâtime role pending bar results/admission with expanded responsibilities.
Work Arrangement: Onsite, hybrid, or remote depending on role and jurisdiction.
What Youâll Do
- Research and draft memos, motions, and oppositions (with structured feedback).
- Evidence & discovery: organize medical records, summarize depositions, draft discovery requests/responses.
- Fact development: client/witness interviews (shadowing then leading as appropriate).
- Expert support: literature searches, exhibit prep, and assisting with Rule 26 disclosures.
- Trial & hearing prep: exhibit lists, witness outlines, jury instructions, and logistics.
- Case strategy: help build themes and damages models with the team.
Youâll never be asked to do work we wouldnât put in front of a judge or client.
How Youâll Learn
- Orientation & Bootcamp: evidence, civil procedure refreshers, medâmal fundamentals, trucking regs, damages, and ethics.
- Mentorship: paired with an attorney mentor; weekly office hours with partners.
- Courtroom Exposure: observe depositions, mediations, and hearings when available.
- Writing Feedback Loop: redlines + checklists to accelerate growth.
Compensation & Logistics
- Paid position (hourly for students; salary for postâbar clerks).
- Academic credit support, if applicable.
- CLE-style trainings, bar prep flexibility (postâbar).
- Technology tools and research platforms.
Competitive Pay & Benefits
We offer a purpose-driven environment where your work makes a difference and where youâre supported with comprehensive benefits. Here, your growth, well-being, and individuality matter.
Work-Life Balance
Our policies are built on mutual trust, support, and a commitment to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. That’s why we offer four weeks of paid vacation plus holidays to all employees and hybrid work flexibility.
Health and Wellness
When you feel well, energized and positive, your work reflects this sense of possibility. To ensure you stay at your healthest, McEldrew Purtell offers firm-paid health and dental insurance for you and your loved ones.
Planning For Your Future
Whether youâre starting your first job or leaning into the peak of your career, itâs always important to prepare for a financially secure retirement. McEldrew Purtell is pleased to offer 401K options after the first year of employement.
Early Career Opportunities
Our internship programs offer meaningful, hands-on experience that lays the foundation for a successful career in law. With the guidance of experienced attorneys and a supportive team, youâll gain real-world insight, build valuable skills, and take the first step toward making a lasting impact.
What excites me most about being part of the McEldrew Purtell team is knowing that our success translates into real change for our clients and the community. Every day, it motivates us to innovate, improve, and deliver results that truly matter.
Working at McEldrew Purtell is more than just a job â it’s being part of a mission-driven team that truly cares about making a difference for our clients. The leadership is supportive, the work is meaningful, and thereâs a deep sense of collaboration across every department. Itâs rare to find a place where your ideas are valued and your work genuinely impacts lives, but thatâs exactly what this firm delivers.
As students, young lawyers are taught that attorneys are meant to be advocates first and foremost. It is a pleasure to work among attorneys who have taken this lesson to heart. Our team is knowledgeable and driven, which fosters trust in those around you. Compassion and care for our clients stays at the heart of everything we do.
At McEldrew Purtell, the supportive environment and the importance of the firm’s mission creates a dynamic energy that motivates you to excel. There’s a strong sense of community and collaboration that ensures you never feel alone in your efforts. Not only are you surrounded by great people, you also get the knowledge that the work you’re doing has a positive impact on others’ lives. It’s the kind of workplace that inspires you to reach your highest potential.
The mentorship I have experienced at McEldrew Purtell is second to none. The attorneys are not only a wealth of knowledge, but they make themselves genuinely accessible to the young lawyers at the firm. This firm invests in cultivating the skills and talents of young trial attorneys, creating an environment of respect where hard work is recognized and rewarded. And most importantly, everyone here has a sincere compassion for and commitment to serving the firmâs clients. I am grateful to be a part of a firm that sets the standard for mentorship and excellence.