April 9, 2026

Class of 2026 – 3L Hiring M&A

CorporateM&A

Cooley LLPSan Francisco

Practice area

Corporate · M&A

PQE

Up to 2 years

Location

San Francisco, California

Employment type

Full-time

Overview

This is a First-Year M&A Associate position based in the San Francisco office, open to JD 2026 graduates.
You will join a highly active M&A practice that has handled over 1,600 transactions valued at over $735 billion since 2020.
The role involves representing a diverse range of transaction participants, including buyers, sellers, major stockholders, lenders, financial advisors, management, venture capitalists, and private equity funds.
This is an entry-level position; prior corporate or transactional experience is helpful but not required.
Required skills include excellent writing, oral communication, and analytical abilities, along with demonstrated interest in corporate law, particularly M&A.
Candidates must be able to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and work effectively with a team.
Strong academic achievement from a nationally recognized law school is expected.
The position offers hands-on training, mentorship, and direct exposure to sophisticated clients and transactions.
The annual salary for this position is $225,000.
The firm provides comprehensive benefits, including firm-paid life insurance, AD&D, long-term disability, and short-term medical benefits.
You will accrue 4 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks of sick time annually, plus 10 paid holidays.
Elective benefits include medical, dental, vision, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, long-term care coverage, and backup care.
Generous parental leave and fertility benefits are also provided.

Apply on firm's website →

Trusted recruiters

Work with a recruiter who has a real relationship with the hiring team and comes recommended by your peers.

Top recruiter for this opening
Kate Reder Sheikh
Legal Recruiter
Major, Lindsey & Africa
Why talk to Kate Reder Sheikh?
Parth Bhatt joined Cooley LLP's San Francisco office in the Corporate group.
Working with Kate was a game-changer in my job search. She really took the time to understand what I was looking for and helped me land my top-choice role. Kate’s deep knowledge of the Bay Area legal market, combined with the strong network and trust she’s built over the years, makes her an amazing resource. She gave me tailored advice, helped me prepare for every step of the process, and always had my best interests at heart. Thanks to Kate, I found a position that’s a perfect fit for me. I highly recommend her to anyone navigating the legal job market in the Bay Area!
Parth Bhatt
Cooley LLP • San Francisco
Top recruiter for this opening
Priya Gulati
Legal Recruiter
Pacific Legal Search
Why talk to Priya Gulati?
Priya Patel joined Cooley LLP's California office in the Corporate group.
If you are looking to work with a legal recruiter, don’t hesitate, choose Priya!! Priya helped me throughout every step of the lateral process from resume clean-up to interview prep. With her help, I was able to quickly and successfully lateral from DC to California. I cannot recommend her enough.
Priya Patel
Cooley LLP • California

Trusted recruiters

Work with a recruiter who has a real relationship with the hiring team and comes recommended by your peers.

Top recruiter for this opening
Kate Reder Sheikh
Legal Recruiter
Major, Lindsey & Africa
Why talk to Kate Reder Sheikh?
Parth Bhatt joined Cooley LLP's San Francisco office in the Corporate group.
Working with Kate was a game-changer in my job search. She really took the time to understand what I was looking for and helped me land my top-choice role. Kate’s deep knowledge of the Bay Area legal market, combined with the strong network and trust she’s built over the years, makes her an amazing resource. She gave me tailored advice, helped me prepare for every step of the process, and always had my best interests at heart. Thanks to Kate, I found a position that’s a perfect fit for me. I highly recommend her to anyone navigating the legal job market in the Bay Area!
Parth Bhatt
Cooley LLP • San Francisco
Top recruiter for this opening
Priya Gulati
Legal Recruiter
Pacific Legal Search
Why talk to Priya Gulati?
Priya Patel joined Cooley LLP's California office in the Corporate group.
If you are looking to work with a legal recruiter, don’t hesitate, choose Priya!! Priya helped me throughout every step of the lateral process from resume clean-up to interview prep. With her help, I was able to quickly and successfully lateral from DC to California. I cannot recommend her enough.
Priya Patel
Cooley LLP • California

Last updated: April 10, 2026

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