With many firms still undecided about the fate of their summer associate programs, Davis Polk & Wardwell told its 133 summer associates on Wednesday that it will still pay them and offer them full-time jobs upon graduation, regardless of whether the program happens as planned.

The firm's hiring partners, Maurice Blanco and Dana Seshens, said in an email that they "are evaluating our alternatives" to the typical summer program experience because of the hazard posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Many firms have yet to finalize adjustments to their summer programs, which are typically heavy on social interaction and start around mid-May.

"We are evaluating our alternatives for our summer program in light of the current COVID-19 circumstances, all with an eye on providing a meaningful summer associate experience for each of you," Blanco and Seshens wrote. "At this point in time we are not able to provide further details other than our strong desire to hold our summer program, in whatever form it takes, this year."