Lockridge Grindal Nauen is dedicated to the advancement of outstanding law students. Through our Summer Associate program, we offer an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in many areas of law including class action, antitrust, data breach, consumer protection, employment, government relations, healthcare, environmental law and litigation, and other general litigation. Lockridge Grindal Nauen is committed to diversity in our workplace and we actively recruit Summer Associate candidates who reflect the breadth of our community and clients.
2023 Summer Associates
Consuela M. Abotsi-Kowu
Consuela Abotsi-Kowu is a student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, class of 2024. She graduated from Oakwood University with a major in Biology and obtained a Master of Public Health from University of California, Los Angeles in 2020. For the past several years, Consuela managed the scholarship division of a non-profit organization, Greater Influence, which works to increase representation in medicine by providing access to scholarships, resources, and mentorship. During the school year, she also volunteers as a student teacher through the Minnesota Justice Foundation to teach and advance civic and law related educations to middle and high school students. As a rising 3L, Consuela looks forward to working as a certified student attorney in the Criminal and Juvenile Defense clinic, competing with the Negotiations team, and serving as Vice President for Student Government.
Madeleine L. Kim
Madeleine Kim is a student at the University of Minnesota Law School, class of 2025. She graduated summa cum laude from the Fordham University / Ailey School joint Bachelor of Fine Arts program with a double major in Dance and Middle East Studies and a minor in Arabic. Madeleine worked for a dance company and as a paralegal at a boutique matrimonial law firm in New York City prior to attending law school. As a 2L, Madeleine looks forward to working as a staff member on the Journal of International Law, competing on the Gender and Sexuality Moot Court Competition Team, and serving as Co-President of the Asylum Law Project.
Kira Q. Le
Kira Le is a student at the University of Minnesota Law School, class of 2024. She graduated from the George Washington University in December of 2020 with a major in Political Science and minors in Sustainability and Law and Society. During the summers throughout her undergraduate career, Kira managed several community gardens and produced hundreds of pounds of food for marginalized communities in her home state of Iowa through Central Iowa Shelter & Services, and a term of service with the Iowa COVID-19 Recovery AmeriCorps program. She also spent four months abroad in Vietnam studying the country’s culture, social change, and development, with a focus on agriculture and sustainability. As a 2L, Kira looks forward to working as a certified student attorney in the Community Legal Partnership for Health Clinic and serving as Treasurer of the Health Law and Bioethics Association.
What Summer Associate Alumni Say
“Working as a summer associate at LGN gave me an excellent start to my legal career. From the start of the summer, I was doing legal research and writing on active cases and could see how my contributions moved the case forward. The collegial atmosphere helped me to feel comfortable approaching attorneys to ask for feedback and talk about the cases. The firm’s team-oriented culture allowed me to raise new ideas and think creatively about the law. I’m grateful for my summer experience and would recommend to anyone who wants to learn litigation skills in a hands-on way. “
Derek Waller, Summer Associate 2017 & 2018
University of Minnesota Law School
“I can easily say that my summer clerking at LGN was the most formative and fulfilling legal experience of my law school career. Since the firm has a strong interest in giving clerks substantial legal experience, I was given a substantive role in a number of interesting cases. This significantly fostered my critical thinking, analysis, and research skills while exposing me to a variety of practice areas. The summer program was also very well organized, giving a great balance between work, associate development, and social events. Moreover, the LGN attorneys are consummate professionals and brilliant practitioners that took an interest in me as a person and future attorney.”
Sahr Brima, Summer Associate 2013
William Mitchell College of Law
“LGN fully integrates its clerks into the firm’s practice. Summer associates receive meaty assignments that often contribute directly to the outcome of a case. But summers aren’t left to their own devices. As a mid-size firm, LGN provides valuable supervision from partners and senior associates, who are talented, seasoned litigators. The result is a summer experience that is both eminently practical and thoroughly exciting.”
Robert L. Whitener, Summer Associate 2006
University of Minnesota Law School, Class of 2007
“Lockridge Grindal Nauen provides an exceptional summer associate experience. The work is substantive and meaningful. You research and write for attorneys who appreciate your input and provide invaluable feedback. An assigned mentor is there to offer guidance. But all the attorneys are willing to answer questions and talk about their practice. The firm also offers opportunities to hone your writing and oral advocacy skills. And summer associates are always invited to watch LGN attorneys in action — arguing a motion in court, putting on a high-profile trial, or taking depositions. I had expected a good summer at LGN, but the program completely exceeded my expectations.”
Devona L. Wells, Summer Associate 2009
William Mitchell College of Law
“Anyone who has ever spent any extended amount of time with lawyers knows how tough it is to get them to talk about something other than work. What I love about LGN is that the attorneys break this stereotype. When there is work to be done, certainly they do it. But they aren’t obsessed. This summer they found time to get to know me and let me get to know them – and it didn’t take a series of summer-camp-like activities outside of work. That is to say, you don’t have to force LGN attorneys to be normal or remove them from the office to engage them in conversation on topics other than law. Yes, the projects were diverse and challenging but I enjoyed my summer because LGN offers more than interesting, hands-on projects; it offers affable people with whom to work.”
Patrick J. Murphy, Summer Associate 2006
University of Minnesota Law School, Class of 2008