Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service business law firms, is pleased to announce that nine J.D. candidates have been selected to join the firm’s 2026 Summer Associate Program. Seven of the nine incoming associates are women, and all rank at the top of their classes, underscoring the firm's continued commitment to strengthening the pipeline of legal talent. The summer associates will be based across Florida with access to attorneys and staff from the firm’s 13 offices statewide.
Each summer, Gunster welcomes a select group of rising 3Ls into its offices, where they gain hands-on exposure to sophisticated, live-client work spanning multiple practice areas and locations. Over the 10-week program, these summer associates experience the pace and demands of a business-focused firm firsthand. Each participant is paired with a dedicated mentor who offers individualized guidance and candid career insight throughout the program. By its conclusion, summer associates leave with the practical skills and professional connections needed to launch successful legal careers.
Nicholas Bragg attends Stetson University College of Law. He serves as an Articles & Symposia Editor for the Stetson Business Law Review and is a Research & Writing Teaching Assistant for Professor Kelly Feeley. Nick previously interned at the Florida Second District Court of Appeal for the Honorable Susan Rothstein-Youakim. He holds a B.A. in Criminology from the University of Florida. Nick will be in the Jacksonville office this summer.
Sarah Elhilow attends Emory University School of Law, where she serves as a Staff Editor on the Emory International Law Review. Sarah has experience interning in the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor at the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from the University of Georgia. Sarah will be in the Miami office this summer.
Kaitlyn Gazzara is a J.D. candidate at Florida State University's College of Law. She is the Executive Article Selection Editor of the FSU Law Review and a Staff Editor of the FSU Business Review. She interned for the Honorable Robert M. Norway in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Kaitlyn graduated with a degree in Political Science from Clemson University, and she will be in the Jacksonville office this summer.
Nicole Kidd is a J.D. candidate at the University of Miami School of Law, where she serves as an Articles and Comments Editor for the University of Miami Law Review. Nicole interned for a litigation and appellate firm in Miami and externed for the Honorable Corali Lopez-Castro of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. She graduated summa cum laude in Criminology from Florida State University, and she will be based in the Miami office this summer.
Casey Menten attends Florida International University College of Law. She serves as Staff Editor for the FIU Law Review, is a member of the Moot Court Team, and is President of the Business Law Society. She previously interned with the Honorable Fleur J. Lobree of the Third District Court of Appeal. Casey earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Florida. She will be in the Fort Lauderdale office this summer.
Sara Petermann is a J.D. candidate at the University of Alabama School of Law, where she is an Articles Editor for the Alabama Law Review. Sara was previously a summer associate for a firm in Birmingham, Alabama and a firm in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. She graduated from the University of Florida cum laude with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy. Sara will be in our Jacksonville office this summer.
Savannah Smith is a J.D. candidate at Stetson University College of Law, where she is the Executive Editor-Elect of the Stetson Law Review. Savannah previously interned for Justice John D. Couriel at the Florida Supreme Court, the Honorable Suzanne Y. Labrit of the Second District Court of Appeal, and the Honorable John L. Badalamenti of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She also has experience as a summer associate for a national law firm in Tampa. Savannah graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in History from the University of South Florida and will be joining our Tampa office this summer.
Connor Van Marter is a J.D. candidate at Florida State University College of Law. He serves as an Executive Editor on the FSU Law Review, an Articles and Notes Editor on the FSU Business Review and is a member of the Moot Court. Connor previously interned for the Honorable Bruce E. Reinhart and the Honorable Ryon M. McCabe of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He was also a legal intern at NextEra Energy. Connor earned his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Florida, and he will be in the West Palm Beach office this summer.
Lara Weiss is attending the University of Miami School of Law, where she serves as the Eleventh Circuit Editor of the UM Law Review, a Fellow in the Investor Rights Clinic, and a member of the Yvette Ostolaza Trial Team. She graduated cum laude with degrees in both Criminology and Psychology from the University of Florida and has experience as a summer associate at a national law firm in Fort Lauderdale. Lara will be in the West Palm Beach office this summer.
For more information about Gunster’s 2L Summer Associate Program, please contact Brad Sprayberry, the firm’s Chief Talent Officer.
###
Gunster. Florida's Law Firm for Leaders.
As a full-service law firm, Gunster provides legal counsel to leading organizations and individuals from its 13 offices statewide. Established in 1925, the firm has expanded, diversified and evolved, but always with a singular focus: Florida and its clients’ stake in it. A magnet for business-savvy attorneys who embrace collaboration for the greatest advantage of clients, Gunster’s growth has not been at the expense of personalized service but because of it. The firm serves clients from its offices in Boca Raton, Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Palm Beach, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, Vero Beach, and its headquarters in West Palm Beach. With more than 330 attorneys and consultants, and 300 committed support staff, Gunster is ranked among the top 200 largest law firms by the National Law Journal. More information about its practices, industries, offices and news is available at www.gunster.com.
