Since 1892, Colorado Law has provided students with a top-notch legal education, preparing them to enter the workforce with the skills, confidence, and expertise needed to make an impact. Every year, employers across the state and nation are impressed with our graduating class, and the past few years have been especially inspiring. We spoke with Todd Rogers, Assistant Dean for Career Development, about our graduates鈥� recent successes. 聽
鈥淧ost-grad employment success of Colorado Law students starts with securing quality jobs during law school,鈥� said Todd Rogers, Assistant Dean for Career Development.听鈥淥ur students consistently seek out growth opportunities in their summer and academic-year work. Because of this, they graduate with a portfolio of experiences that flatten their learning curves. They鈥檙e a hardworking group, confident yet humble, and hungry to improve!鈥澛�
The class of 2023鈥檚 employment stats are just one testament to Colorado Law鈥檚 dedication to ensuring the success of our students long after they walk out the doors of Wolf Law.听聽
-
95% (163/171) of the class of 2023 reported post-graduate employment聽
-
90% (154/171) of 2023 graduates reported full-time jobs lasting one year or more that either require bar passage or for which a JD is an advantage.听
-
84% (144/171) of 2023 graduates reported full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage. 聽 聽聽
These impressive statistics are owed in part to our exceptional career development team. Colorado Law's Career Development Office (CDO) specializes in connecting law students with employers both during the academic year and the summer. Starting with 1L Orientation, where career and professional development is a central theme, the CDO encourages students to take an intentional and creative approach to planning their careers. The team includes six dedicated professionals with experience helping students and alumni succeed in the current employment climate.听
鈥淢y role, and the role of our entire Career Development team at Colorado Law, is to support our students鈥� career explorations in a positive atmosphere,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淲e emphasize a long-term outlook, and consistently prepare students to secure and excel in summer, fall, and spring work. At its best, job-hunting during law school is empowering and reveals meaningful insights about what makes someone tick. And when the law school jobs fall into place, the post-grad job search can be relatively short!鈥澛�
The CDO organizes dozens of career panels, workshops, networking events, mock interviews, access to our robust alumni network, and individual advising sessions. Each counselor has a specialty area and is responsible for outreach and engagement with employers in that specialty. Additionally, the office works with a wide range of employers and offers counseling, resources, programming, and relationship building events to help students pursue opportunities with law firms in private practice, organizations in the public sector, business employers, judges across the country, and nontraditional employers who value the skills students develop in law school.听
鈥淭he [employment] process often includes exploring career options with attorneys at events such as the CDO鈥檚 Morning Coffee series and lunchtime Intro to Practice (fall) and Deep Dives (spring) events,鈥� Rogers explained. 鈥淭hrough these targeted networking opportunities, Colorado Law students gain exposure to a wide variety of career opportunities, which they in turn can discuss and brainstorm with CDO counselors.鈥� 聽
In addition to these ongoing career development and networking opportunities, Colorado Law also has a successful that connects participating students with the professional world beyond the law school building and expands their professional networks. 聽
鈥淥ur mentoring program gives each mentee the opportunity to build a relationship with a trusted advisor as the student defines their professional identity and navigates law school and the early stages of their career.鈥� said Alexia McCaskill, Senior Director for Professional Development. 鈥淐olorado Law students are intentional in how they prepare themselves for the post-grad world both through the coursework they undertake and the hands-on experiences in which they engage during their time at Colorado Law. Additionally, they care about community and consistently exhibit what it means to be a good colleague to those around them.鈥澛�
The program is looking to connect with alums and other legal professionals interested in potentially mentoring our students. If you are interested in learning more about our mentoring program and getting involved, please contact Alexia McCaskill at Alexia.McCaskill@colorado.edu.听