2026 Summer Law Student Intern - CIBC Bank USA Legal Department

We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients.

At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute.

To learn more about CIBC, please visit CIBC.com

The US Legal Department of CIBC is seeking a law student to serve as a Legal Intern for Summer 2026. The intern will participate in a variety of projects and will gain valuable exposure to the workings of an in-house legal department at a growing US financial institution that is affiliated with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, one of Canada’s largest banks.

CIBC's US Legal Department provides legal support for all of the consumer and commercial banking activities of CIBC Bank USA and the investment activities of CIBC's US Private Wealth affiliates. The department also includes the US Corporate Secretary, US Regulatory Affairs, Legal Process, and US Privacy Office functions. Interns may work on projects related to any or all of these functions, and thus will be exposed to not only a wide variety of legal subject matter, but also regulatory relations, regulatory compliance, risk management, and operations matters.

This internship will be based at CIBC Bank USA's headquarters in Chicago's Loop, with the potential for remote and hybrid work options (though not guaranteed).

We anticipate the internship will begin in May 2026 and end in August or September 2026, with exact start and end dates mutually agreed upon and taking into account the student's academic calendar. The expected rate of pay for this internship is $35/hour.

Please submit the following materials as part of your application:

• Resume
• Recent writing sample written by you, not containing (unredacted) confidential information. This may include, for example, a legal writing class memo, law review note, blog post, or email summary of legal research (note: length and formality are not inherently prized over clarity and utility)
• Cover letter written by you, explaining your particular interest in the position. You may address this to the attention of Elizabeth Khalil, Deputy General Counsel (the hiring manager for this role)
• Law school grades (current unofficial transcript is sufficient)

Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis as we receive applications, and we encourage you to submit your application as early as you can once grades are available.

NOTE: This internship is open to current law students only. If you are an undergraduate, we encourage you to consider applying to the array of other internship opportunities CIBC offers.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Performing legal research, including 50-state surveys
• Drafting summaries, analyses, and recommendations
• Analyzing cross-border legal issues  
• Monitoring and analyzing new proposed and enacted legislation and regulatory changes, issuances from regulators, and relevant litigation
• Drafting, reviewing, editing, and/or updating legal documents, such as loan documents, account agreements, and vendor contracts
• Drafting, reviewing, editing, and/or updating internal documents, such as policies and procedures and training materials  
• Monitoring technological developments in the marketplace that impact privacy and information security
• Working with law firms that serve as outside counsel to CIBC
• Working with US Corporate Secretary on Board of Directors meetings and materials
• Working with US Legal Process team to review, research, and respond to subpoenas, levies, garnishments, citations to discover assets, and court orders 
• Working with US Privacy Office
• Working with US Regulatory Affairs to prepare for examinations and respond to regulatory requests
• Contributing to Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and banker education programs

Interns are also encouraged to take on a summer-long research project of their own choosing, to culminate in a presentation or a writing project that can be used as a writing sample or the basis for an article.

Who You Are

• Good standing at an ABA-accredited law school
• Rising 2L or 3L status in a JD program, or currently enrolled in a graduate law school degree program (LLM, SJD), as of Summer 2026
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (where applicable)
• Demonstrated attention to detail 
• Strong critical thinking skills
• Strong analytical, writing, and oral communication skills 
• Ability to take initiative, own projects, balance competing priorities, and take accountability for performance
• Sincere interest in learning about banking, financial privacy, and other related work of the US Legal Department
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a diverse, inclusive, collegial, and highly collaborative team    

To be eligible for this program, you must be authorized to work in the U.S. on a permanent basis.

How You Succeed

• You take ownership and hold yourself accountable for contributing as a true member of the team and making the most of your time on the team, rather than passively experiencing your role.
• You enjoy investigating complex problems, and making sense of information. You can communicate detailed information in an impactful way.
• You seek out innovative solutions and embrace evolving technologies. You can easily adapt to new tools and trends.
• You understand that success is in the details. You notice things that others don't. Your critical thinking skills help to inform your decision making.
• You respect confidentiality and data security, and guard all nonpublic information with the highest degree of care.
• You have passion and are motivated with high career aspirations. You can assume significant levels of responsibility for assignments to be completed within short timeframes and manage competing priorities.
• You're driven by collective success. You know that collaboration can transform a good idea into a great one. You understand the power of an inclusive team that enjoys working together to create a shared vision.
• Values matter to you. You live our values, including inclusion, trust, teamwork, and accountability.

At CIBC, your goals are a priority. We start with your strengths, ambitions and strive to create opportunities to tap into your potential.  

What you need to know

• CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact Mailbox.careers-carrieres@cibc.com

• You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit.

• We may ask you to complete an attribute-based assessment and other skills tests (such as simulation, coding, MS Office). Our goal for the application process is to get to know more about you, all that you have to offer, and give you the opportunity to learn more about us.

Expected End Date

2026-09-11

Job Location

IL-120 S LaSalle St, 4th Fl

Employment Type

Temporary (Fixed Term)

Weekly Hours

40

Skills

Communication, Legal Research, Writing