It’s no secret that attending law school can be a daunting process. Yet, the ultimate goal, gaining a professional job, can be just as daunting. From day one on campus, Lewis & Clark Law’s Career Services office ensures that current students and alumni alike are not alone in their job hunt.
The Career Services team is first introduced to students in their first-year Foundations of Professional Practice class. Throughout students’ first year, this program connects them with key advisors from the Career Services office, gets them set up in Career Connect - a central online job hub for Lewis & Clark students and alumni - and covers the basics of interviewing, resume writing, and networking.
While this is a comprehensive introduction for entering students, the support from Career Services doesn’t end there: Graduation requirements for all include continued connection with the office while they are students. During their second year, students must attend at least one event focused on career exploration or career-building skills presented by the Career Services Office or meet individually with one of the team’s counselors. Additionally, in their final law school year, students are asked to meet individually with a Career Services’ counselor to discuss post-graduation plans.
Career Connect is individually available to students throughout their law school career and even after graduation as alums. This easy central access database features job listings, Career Advisor appointment scheduling services, upcoming networking event information, a robust resource resource library, and more.
Outside of their host of virtual resources and in-class facilitation, Career Services offers four standing recruitment events throughout the year: Summer Recruitment, Autumn Interviews, the Northwest Public Service Career Fair, and Spring Recruitment. The goal of these events, as explained by Assistant Dean for Career Services, Alice Emerson, is “to expand opportunities for both students and graduates. By providing equitable access and information [about the legal job market], we hope to even the playing field for all students.” Employers participating in each of the recruitment events have the option to participate in in-person interviews on campus or virtual interviews facilitated by Lewis & Clark. They may also opt to simply do a resume collect in which students and recent graduates submit their application materials to the postings in Career Connect to be distributed to participating employers, who then handle the recruitment process from there.
By and large the biggest event of the year that Career Services puts on is the Northwest Public Service Career Fair. This past fall, the NWPSCF event alone drew 96 employers and over 1,000 applicants, leading to both dream jobs and pathways to unexpected opportunities. For 1L student Kayla Porter, ‘dream job’ was exactly what this event opened the door to: “Heading into the NWPSCF, I was excited for the chance to interview with several of the participating District Attorney’s offices. Each conversation offered a unique perspective and helped me better understand the distinct qualities and priorities of each office. I’m very excited to be starting with one of the DA’s offices this summer because of this event.”
Upcoming grad Ashwin Kushwaha found himself in the right place at the right time when attending the 2024 Northwest Public Career Fair as a 2L at the time. “One of the tabling events I went to was with the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Vancouver, WA. I hadn’t actually considered working in that area of law, but I spoke with them anyway,” he explained, “This is one of the great benefits of the career fair; you never know when attending the tabling events will lead to an interview and a potential position.” Now, almost a year after that chance encounter, Ashwin was able to be on the other side of the table at this same event, representing that same employer he took a chance on. For more information about exact dates for specific recruitment events, the Career Services website has the most up-to-date and accurate information for all job seekers.
Outside of these four key recruitment events, Career Services works year-round to connect students and alumni with employers and set them up for success in their job search. The team works individually with students reviewing applications, conducting mock interviews, and discussing offer negotiation tactics. Employers who wish to create their own unique recruitment timeline may host mini “pop-up” recruitment events, or submit their job openings on the Career Connect site. Considering the caliber of Lewis & Clark Law Students, paired with the extensive work that Career Services does, it’s easy to see why nearly 90.5% of 2023 Lewis & Clark graduates were employed within 10 months of graduation.
