The following are some of the many questions prospective students ask our office. We hope you find these answers helpful in your decision-making process.
How is the legal job market? Will I get a good job after graduation?
The definition of a "good" job after law school is different for every student. The Career Development Office will help you with one of the most difficult questions you will face in law school - what is a good job for you. Through individual counseling sessions and comprehensive career programming, we will expose you to a multitude of practice areas and practitioners, and personally help you to identify your own skills, interests, and values. The legal market is always competitive, and it is not unusual for law graduates to change jobs several times within five years of graduation. Our office will ensure you have the job search and job readiness skills to land your first job, and take charge of your career management.
How much money can I expect to earn upon graduating from UM Law?
Salaries vary enormously depending on the type of law you want to practice and the setting in which you wish to practice. Starting salaries of recent UM grads ranged from $30,000 to $150,000. Law firms in the private sector pay more than government and public interest positions, and larger firms pay more than smaller firms do. Salaries of UM law grads are on the whole comparable to the national average salaries calculated by the National Association of Law Placement.
Can your office help me secure a job outside of Miami?
The University of Miami School of Law has a strong national reputation and assists graduates in securing jobs across the country. UM law alumni can be found in almost every state and internationally. The Career Development Office gladly helps students looking to begin their careers in other cities by networking with alumni in those cities and identifying potential summer clerkship and clinical placements. We also participate in several national job fairs, including the Southeast Law Placement Consortium and the National Association of Public Interest Law, where UM students have the opportunity to secure interviews from employers nationwide. We are continuously marketing the quality of our student body to employers across the country. Not surprisingly, however, many graduates fall in love with South Florida and decide to remain in the area, even though they have opportunities elsewhere.
I want to become a lawyer to make a difference. How can your office help me to find a public interest job?
Our counselors, several of which come from careers in the public sector, are well-versed in the public interest opportunities that are available, and help our students every step of the way, from crafting a public interest resume, to drafting a grant proposal. Our students have been quite successful in securing post-graduate public interest employment. Graduates work in public interest agencies and organizations throughout the country, and our students have been awarded many prestigious NAPIL and echoing green post-graduate fellowships, where they have been able to craft their own jobs doing what is most important to them. There are many ways to have a satisfying career in the public sector, and we are here to help!
What if I don't know what type of law I want to practice?
Relax and join the club! Most entering law students are not sure what type of law they want to practice, or even if they want to practice at all. For that reason, we offer extensive educational programming and career exploration opportunities. In the first year alone, students are invited to attend cocktail receptions at local law firms and meet attorneys on campus to hear firsthand what different areas of the law entail. Over the course of your three years with us, we will help you focus and define your career interests, whatever they may be. The important thing to know is that a law degree will be a valuable tool in any job search.
