Selecting the right person for the right firm.

We have given significant thought to understanding what makes someone successful at Frost Brown Todd and how to better identify successful future contributors to our team. We have a unique call-back process where candidates participate in traditional 30-minute interviews as well as a structured 60-minute interview with a panel of trained interviewers. In this way, candidates get to share their stories, experiences, and why they are primed for professional success.

• 30-minute one-on-one interviews.
• 60-minute panel interview: A structured form of interviewing with a panel of trained interviewers and questions based on the firm’s competencies. During the panel interview, we utilize behaviorally-based questions in a systematic process to eliminate impermissible bias and to better understand the past experiences of our applicants. By understanding the experiences that shape an applicant, we can better identify potential for future success at the firm.
• Lunch with a few of our associates.
• Our Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Louisville offices host a call-back process where 10-20 second-year students from various law schools interview on the same day. The day concludes with a dinner party that allows our team to interact with candidates in a more casual setting.
• Call-back interviews scheduled outside the Interview Day will still feature both 30-minute interviews and a panel interview with the applicant.

 Scott Krapf | Senior Associate | Indianapolis, IN

When I interviewed at Frost Brown Todd, the firm’s commitment to investing in people was clear. The interview process provided ample opportunities to meet with members and associates I would be working with to make sure the firm was a good fit and a place where I could succeed. By the end of the interview process, I truly gained an understanding of the firm culture and knew Frost Brown Todd was the team I wanted to be a part of.

Come for the summer. Come back for the long haul. 

Sharpen your skills by working alongside Frost Brown Todd attorneys at depositions, arbitrations, negotiations and client consultations. As a summer associate, we see to it you are exposed to a wide range of activities and hands-on training based on the area(s) of law you want to explore. By program’s end, you will leave with a better sense of what you have to offer and a network of people ready to help you reach your career goals.

Do meaningful work.

We believe in providing summer associates with meaningful hands-on experience in a variety of industries and practice areas. We learn what aspects of the law excite you and connect you with teams specializing in those areas. Throughout the summer, our work coordinators make sure all assignments are fairly distributed among associates, with the appropriate balance of billable hours, observation and training opportunities.

Team up with not one, but two mentors.

We pair summer associates with both a member and an associate to serve as mentors, on hand to answer questions and introduce you to attorneys and clients. These mentor/mentee relationships often outlast the duration of the program, continuing into the school year and beyond.

Tonya Austin| Member | Nashville, TN

I know firsthand the difference a great mentor can make in the practice of law. There are many paths to success at Frost Brown Todd, but that does not mean we all come in knowing where to start or what stops and turns to take along the way. As a mentor, it has been my joy and privilege to help my mentees navigate law firm life, grow in their practice, and hone their relationship-building skills. We are all at our best when we have support, and that is at the heart of our mentoring program.

Learn your strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement.

When it comes to communicating with summer associates, we articulate expectations clearly and provide constructive feedback on your performance at every step of the way. Most of this feedback will be informal in nature, but at both the midpoint and conclusion of the program you will receive a formal evaluation, highlighting your strengths and pinpointing areas where additional training would help you deliver on your full potential.

Enjoy several career development opportunities.

Summer associates also spend a great deal of time in the field, touring our clients’ facilities, learning about their business operations and getting a firsthand glimpse of what it takes to build in-house relationships with world-class companies. In addition to fieldwork, we host weekly forums during which representatives of the firm’s management committees and practice groups share their perspective and interact candidly with summer associates.

Janine Tate Webb | Member | Lexington, KY

When I started as a summer associate, I soon realized Frost Brown Todd was the right choice for me. The structure of the summer program strikes the perfect balance between work, social experiences and exposure to various practice groups and people at all levels of the firm. I felt like part of the team and received invaluable feedback from mentors who have continued to support me in my practice to the present day. By the end of the summer, I knew exactly what I had to look forward to as a Frost Brown Todd attorney.

Connect with colleagues at informal social events.

Summer associates aren’t isolated from one another, nor are they excluded from various firm-wide events during the summer months. Rather, here at the firm and elsewhere, you can get to know your colleagues during luncheons, meet-and-greets and community engagement projects. For previous summer associates, these social gatherings have been both fun and illuminating.

Witness skilled attorneys in action.

Many of our attorneys are at the forefront of complex and still-evolving areas of the law, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and global privacy regulations. Some are considered luminaries in their respective fields. As a summer associate, you will get to work alongside these accomplished attorneys.

If interested, APPLY ONLINE with your résumé and cover letter.

Note: Frost Brown Todd LLC is an equal opportunity employer.

Get your start at the right firm. With real opportunities right from the start.

Combining skills-based instruction and observation with direct hands-on experience in the field, our First-Year Associate Program is designed to give you the tools and relationships needed to quickly rise to the level expected of a Frost Brown Todd attorney. As a first-year associate, you will take on a high degree of responsibility early on, with increasingly sophisticated assignments as you progress through the program. You will also have opportunities to broaden your horizons through client placements and by contributing to pro bono and community service projects.

Mentoring is an equally vital part of our professional development platform. We pair you with a member and an associate mentor. These attorneys will guide you forward, introduce you to colleagues and clients and help you take your practice to the next level.

At Frost Brown Todd, it’s all about putting the right people and opportunities in your path while giving you license to determine your own success.

Market-competitive salaries (with reduced billable hour requirement)

We offer market-competitive salaries, yet with a billable hour requirement (1200 hours) which is well below that of other similarly sized firms. We supplement billable work with 800 additional hours of training during your first year, allowing you to focus on the kind of professional development that will be most beneficial to you in the long run.

Tessa Castner | Senior Associate | Cincinnati, OH

The first-year program jump-started my career through substantive training that translated directly to my practice. I learned about negotiations through peer simulations and observation opportunities. Then I was entrusted with my first solo mediation shortly after passing the bar.

Knowledge Coach

You will be paired with an attorney to serve as your “knowledge coach” for the duration of the program. Your knowledge coach will put the time in to learn about your interests and work with you to devise a training regimen, pursue relevant opportunities and manage overall workflow.

Secrets of Success

We’ve developed an innovative and informative mini-MBA program, which will give you some fluency in core business strategies and help you relate to clients on a broader plane. We also offer a series of “Secrets of Success” programs throughout the year to help refine your lawyering skills. You will hear experienced attorneys and clients advise on topics like initiative-taking, business generation and client responsiveness.

Miles Harrison | Managing Associate | Louisville, KY

Frost Brown Todd’s competency-based evaluation process provided me with a roadmap for advancing my career. It set clear, objective benchmarks for my peers and me to monitor our progression and strive for ever-higher levels of achievement. Unlike more rigid processes based on years of practice, our competency-based model allows first-year associates to have some flexibility in charting their path forward. The annual performance review also helped me target areas of my practice to focus on to assist my growth as an attorney and contribute to the firm’s overall success.

Placement opportunities with clients and non-profit organizations

You will have opportunities to work directly with our clients in their place of business, learn about their operations and fine-tune your client service skills. Frost Brown Todd also maintains longstanding relationships with several nonprofit organizations in our footprint, giving you the chance to contribute through pro bono and community service projects.

Note: Frost Brown Todd LLC is an equal opportunity employer.

You invest in you. We do too.

We invest in you and your career. Many firms do not give you the benefit of 401(k) savings until after a year. At Frost Brown Todd, you are eligible after just 30 days. We start matching contributions in a year and we will add more through profit-sharing in just two years.

The chart below tells the story. You can put $19,000 into your 401(k) during your first year. Many law firms do not allow any savings for a year, and never match. If you save at least 4% of your compensation, we will match it after a year. After two years, we will add discretionary profit sharing, which has averaged 3% in recent years. It is like a 7% pay raise plus deferred tax benefits.

401(k) Graph Assumptions: Associate makes IRS maximum allowed contributions to 401(k) (currently $19,000) each year; FBT 401(k) match at 4% each year; FBT profit sharing contribution at 3% each year. All assumptions subject to change.

Frost Brown Todd’s 1L Diversity Scholarship is a vital component of our Summer Associate Program. It’s also one of the many concrete ways we support building a diverse pipeline while fostering equitable opportunities and outcomes in the legal profession and society as a whole.

Eligibility

The 1L Diversity Scholarship is open to law students who have successfully completed paid internships in our summer program. Scholarships will we awarded to select students who (a) are members of a group historically underrepresented in the legal profession, (b) demonstrate academic excellence, and (c) share our core values, including a history of service to the community and a commitment to diversity.

Value

Scholarship recipients receive $5,000 in the form of W-2 compensation or a direct payment of tuition and/or academic fees. Upon successfully completing a second summer internship at FBT and accepting an offer to return to the firm as an entry-level associate, scholarship recipients will receive an additional $5,000 toward their educational expenses.

In addition to our 1L Diversity Scholarship, Frost Brown Todd established a Diversity Scholarship Fund in 2010, which is open to all students regardless of whether they are participating in our summer program. Each year, through the scholarship fund, we award approximately $10,000 in scholarships to support deserving students in their education and exploration of the law. Learn more about our Diversity Scholarship Fund.