The Career Development Office welcomes prospective students to our website!
We encourage you to review our website to learn more about the services and resources offered to our students and graduates. We also welcome you to visit the CDO and meet our advisors. For prospective students unable to come on campus, our advisors are also available to answer questions by phone. Please call us at (305) 284-2668.
Below are some of the programs and services we offer students throughout the year:
Fall and Spring On-Campus Interview Programs
Approximately 150 employers participate in the fall and spring On Campus Interview (OCI) Programs. The programs attract law firms, government agencies, corporations and public interest employers. As is the case for first-year students at most ABA-accredited law schools, first-year students at UM Law cannot participate in the fall OCI program. However, they are eligible to participate in the spring OCI program and we strongly encourage and assist them throughout the process.
Job Postings
The CDO maintains an online searchable database of current legal employment opportunities for students and alumni. The database is updated on an almost daily basis and is accessible 24 hours a day from any computer. In addition, hard copies of all job postings are made available to students during office hours.
Job Fairs
The Law School participates in a number of job fairs throughout the year. Students interested in getting exposure to employers outside of Florida are strongly encouraged to attend these job fairs.
Firm Night
The CDO invites local law firms to participate in its annual Firm Night Program. Firm Night is intended to give first-year students a chance to network with attorneys and learn about the practice of law. Generally, each participating law firm hosts a reception at its office and gives a brief presentation about the firm. These receptions also serve as an opportunity for firms to showcase themselves to first-year students.
Informational Career Fair
In early March, we invite attorneys from firms, government agencies, public interest organizations and corporations to visit campus to speak with students about their legal careers. During the event, students have the opportunity to ask the attorneys questions about their career choices, areas of practice and the general life of a practicing attorney. This is a great opportunity for students to get a feel for what it is like to practice law in different practice areas and with different types of employers.
Mock Interview Program
In early fall, we give second-year, third-year and LL.M. students an opportunity to participate in mock interview sessions with local attorneys. We offer the program in preparation for on-campus interviews and students greatly benefit from the feedback they receive during these mock interview sessions.
Workshops and Guest Speakers
CDO advisors hold workshops throughout the year on resume and cover letter writing, interviewing and networking skills, job search strategies and other topics. We also invite guests to speak to our students on a variety of legal and career matters. For example, representatives from various government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI and the Florida Attorney General’s Office, usually visit campus to inform students about employment opportunities at their organizations; partners and associates from law firms have given presentations on topics from business etiquette to tips on how to survive the first year in practice; and officers from various bar associations have come on campus to share networking tools and ideas with students.
For more information related to career planning and professional development, including CDO services, events and opportunities, be sure to visit the CDO blog.
