Recruiting Programs and Job Fairs

All JD and LLM students are encouraged to participate in USD Law’s recruiting programs. Students apply for posted opportunities and interview with public and private employers. These formal recruiting programs are just one step in a comprehensive job search. We offer a variety of additional resources to students, including an internal job board, connection to national/regional job fairs and networking opportunities. Be sure to schedule an appointment with a career advisor each semester to discuss your job search strategy.

Fall and Spring Recruiting Programs

All types of employers participate in the Fall Recruiting Program, including NALP and large law firms, small to mid-sized law firms, public interest organizations, government agencies and corporations. The Spring Recruiting Program consists of small to mid-sized law firms, public interest organizations, government agencies and corporations. For detailed information on the spring recruiting program, students should review the Recruiting Guides in #HireUSDLaw’s Resource Library.

Job Fairs

The Southern California Public Interest Career Day (PICD) is one of the largest careers fairs of its kind in the country. USD Law students are strongly encouraged to participate in this annual event held every February. In past years, more than 100 nonprofit organizations, government agencies and public interest firms have provided information and opportunities to interview for positions to students involved in PICD. For detailed information on PICD, students should review the PICD Folder in #HireUSDLaw’s Resource Library and visit the PICD website.

Equal Justice Works (EJW) Conference and Career Fair: EJW, a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice, holds an annual career fair every October. This event serves as the nation’s largest public interest career fair with over 180 nonprofit organizations, government agencies and public interest law firms participating. For more information, visit visit the EJW website.

The Loyola Patent Law Interview Program is an interview program that brings together patent law employers and law students from across the country to interview for summer associate positions and post-graduate employment. Each year roughly 1,000 law students register for the program, submit their application materials, and apply for interviews with nation-wide employers. For more information, click here.  

Diversity and 1L Summer Fellowships

Law firms and bar associations offer summer opportunities for diverse students and students with specific backgrounds or areas of expertise (e.g., intellectual property). A noteworthy local opportunity is the San Diego County Bar Association’s Diversity Fellowship Program offering paid summer jobs for 1Ls at top San Diego firms and agencies. For more information, click here. Diversity opportunities are also posted on #HireUSDLaw and in the Diversity Opportunities Folder of the Resource Library.