We are a highly respected law firm in Utica & Syracuse, NY, once named the 36th fastest growing law firm in the nation. Our firm specializes in trial practice with an emphasis on criminal defense, DWI, and personal injury.
Participating in our summer associate program will have you working closely with our attorneys and paralegals on complex legal matters, providing you with invaluable, real-world experience and insight into the day-to-day of a major central New York law firm. We provide assignments from all our practice areas so that you can experience criminal, DWI, and personal injury cases. Our 2026 summer associate program has positions for 1L and 2L (rising 2L and 3L) students, and typically begins the Wednesday following Memorial Day, running for 10 weeks.
Rising 2L Summer Associates
Passalacqua & Associates offers pro-bono internships to rising 2L law students whose backgrounds, perspectives, and overall experiences make them a match for our diverse and growing law firm. You will participate in a range of training sessions. Summer associates learn on the job as generalists across our different practice areas and work alongside practicing lawyers and paralegals. You will have opportunities to observe client conferences, negotiation sessions, accompany attorneys to court appearances, hearings, depositions, and much more.
Rising 3L Summer Associates
We recognize that by the end of your second year of law school you may still be undecided regarding a practice area. Our rising 3L program is structured to assist you in determining which direction to take as you seek to sort this out. You will be hired in a specific practice area; criminal or personal injury, enabling you to focus on a particular style of practice while continuing to learn and explore different areas of interest. Like rising 2L associates, you will accompany our attorneys to meetings, closings, court appearances, as well as perform substantive legal work that will closely reflect what can be expected during your first few years of practicing law. Our rising 3L associates are paid a stipend as part of their internship.
The Application Process
If you would like to be considered for a rising 2L or 3L position for our 2026 summer program, please send your resume, a cover letter explaining your interest in joining our firm, writing sample, and law school transcript to the attention of Dom Passalacqua at [email protected]. Positions are posted in October, and we typically start interviewing in November. The application deadline is January 1.
Our undergraduate internship program is open to college juniors and seniors. Sophomore applications will also be considered depending upon position availability. Interns will work with attorneys and paralegals in our criminal and personal injury departments. Undergraduate internship positions are pro-bono. However, academic credit may be awarded if approved by the intern’s college or university.
For the first four days interns will shadow with our intake/sales staff to see how we begin the process of retaining both personal injury and criminal clients. On days five and six, interns will be trained by our intake/sales staff on our various systems and programs, along with the basics of criminal/personal injury interdepartmental communications. Starting on day seven, interns will act as a member of the department to which they were assigned and will be trained by a paralegal to have several primary duties.
Following the period of initial training, interns will attend all team department meetings. When time and circumstances permit, attorneys will have interns accompany them to their court appearances.
To apply for an undergraduate internship, please submit a cover letter, an updated resume, and contact information for at least two references to [email protected].
Open to high school juniors and seniors, our shadowing opportunities provide students interested in careers in law with the option of spending time with members of our firm learning the intricacies of criminal defense and personal injury law.
Shadowing can take place over the course of a few hours to a few days, depending on whether the program is being organized by a local high school or BOCES, as well as the students’ individual interests. Occasionally students will reach out to us directly, and we are always eager to accommodate their request if we can.
For more information on our shadowing opportunities please contact the firm directly at [email protected], or call 315.500.6425.
We believe everyone is entitled to the best possible representation. Our unique combination of experience, expertise, and empathy delivers the best possible outcome for each case because we take pride in serving others and contributing to a higher cause. Passalacqua & Associates, LLC is an integral part of this community because we fully commit to every team member, every client, every case, and every issue that calls to us. In doing so, we hold true to the feeling that the status quo of today is no longer acceptable tomorrow.
Have we piqued your interest? If you are a hard-working attorney, paralegal, or legal assistant, with a passion for protecting clients’ rights, we want to hear from you. Our firm offers a dynamic and challenging work environment, competitive salary and benefits package with matching 401k, and opportunities for career growth and advancement.
To formally apply, send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].
Passalacqua & Associates, LLC provides legal representation for individuals facing personal injuries and criminal charges. Our attorneys offer compassionate guidance and aggressive strategies, and we’re committed to achieving the best possible outcomes. We’ll protect your rights and navigate legal complexities on your behalf.
Passalacqua & Associates, LLC proudly serves clients in Utica, Syracuse, and the surrounding upstate New York communities. We are dedicated to providing accessible and effective legal services to those in need of experienced personal injury and criminal defense representation within these regions.