Early Interview Week (EIW) occurs in late August, before school begins, during which time most interviews of upper-class students occur. During 2007 EIW, over 700 employers conducted 8,580 interviews with approximately 475 students.
"Perhaps the most invaluable resource that Michigan's Office of Career Services provides is the unparalleled, and extremely well run, early interview week program, where every top law firm in the country comes! My four-day, twenty-two interview marathon yielded nineteen callback invitations; many of my friends met with equally phenomenal success, despite the tight legal market."
- Sherif , 2L
On-Campus Interview Programs
In addition to Early Interview Week, OCS hosts a Fall and Winter Interview Program. In the 2006-2007 academic year, over 750 employers from 32 states, Washington, D.C., and three foreign countries interviewed our students on campus. Nearly all of the American Lawyer Top 100 firms, the American Lawyer Global 100 firms, and the American Lawyer list of Best Places to Work firms visit the Law School or request resumes of Michigan Law students. And while our on-campus interview list is impressive, our students also independently arrange for interviews with and receive offers from the handful of national firms that do not travel to our campus.
In addition to these on-campus interview opportunities, over 1,900 other employers from throughout the United States contacted the Law School last year to post job openings and to request student resumes. For those employers that are unable to visit campus we provide the option of conducting interviews with our students via video conferencing.
Informational Programs and Speakers
In addition to one-on-one counseling, we present numerous panels, workshops, and informational sessions for students and graduates to learn about various career paths. We invite lawyers from all types of practice areas to come to campus and speak to our students about their careers and about opportunities with their organizations. Past programs have addressed opportunities practicing International Law, Intellectual Property, Entertainment Law, and Sports Law, to name just a few. The OCS Market Series, offered each year, brings consultants from across the nation to Ann Arbor to talk about the state of legal hiring in the most popular markets, including New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and California.
Judicial Clerkships
OCS provides a variety of services to help our students secure judicial clerkships. Typically, 15 percent of Michigan graduates on average have accepted prestigious judicial clerkships in federal and state appellate and trial courts.* Since 1991, Michigan Law has been the top public law school for United States Supreme Court Clerkships, placing 23 graduates in these prestigious positions. Over 50 percent of our tenured and tenure-track faculty members have served as law clerks and they generously make themselves available as mentors and advisors throughout the application process.
*At Michigan, like other law schools across the country, fewer students are choosing to apply for clerkships right out of law school, but rather waiting a few years before pursuing and then accepting a clerkship as an alumnus.
Library and Online Resources
OCS has a comprehensive collection of specialized guides, many of which are written by Law School staff, readily available to use in the Office or to be borrowed. These resources include directories, periodicals, and audio and videotapes covering such topics as interview techniques, judicial clerkships, graduate programs and post-graduate fellowships, teaching opportunities, and public interest organizations.
Our online resources and useful links provide myriad resources as well and are readily available any time, any place through the Web. Our Web based toolkits and career guides specifically tailored to 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls students are an invaluable resource. Further, the office maintains an online list of available jobs and sends job announcements out to various e-mail groups that students can join. An online job posting for alumni is also available.
Mock interviews and Resume writing assistance
Local attorneys volunteer to hold mock interviews with students. These sessions are videotaped and then played back to be critiqued.
In addition to a resume writing workshop, the OCS staff meets students on an individual basis to go over their resume and cover letters. This one-on-one counseling can provide invaluable feedback as students begin their job search.
"Michigan's Career Services office really cares about students and goes to great lengths to prepare us for the job market. I've received terrific career advice from the attorney-counselors on staff. They helped me through the job process by critiquing my resume, providing useful resources, and reviewing my interview selections. With their help, I received a number of job offers on both coasts. It is only when I talk to friends at other top law schools and hear about their non-existent career counselors, do I truly appreciate how lucky we are to have such a great Career Services office."
- Kim, 2L