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Here to Help from Day One

From the first day on campus through graduation and beyond, the St. John’s Law Career Development Office (CDO) is here to help students identify their career goals and chart a path to professional success.

Our Services

Career Counseling

Career counseling is one of the most important services CDO offers. Students meet regularly with their career counselors to discuss:

  • Resume and cover letter writing
  • Interviewing techniques
  • Potential areas of practice
  • Employment opportunities
  • Other aspects of the career development process

This vital collaboration spans the student’s time at St. John’s Law and can continue even after graduation. 

Job Search Support

Here are just some of the ways CDO helps St. John’s Law students navigate their job search:

Online and Library Job Search Resources

Employers regularly notify CDO of open positions, including:

  • Academic year internships
  • Summer internships
  • Externships
  • Fellowships
  • Paid part-time jobs
  • Paid full-time jobs

We share that information with students daily through our password-protected website, Symplicity. Students also have access to other helpful career-related platforms, including Lexis, Westlaw, and the Public Service Jobs Directory.

CDO also maintains an extensive library of webinars, books, periodicals, newspapers, directories, and handouts to help students pursue their career goals. In addition, our Rittenberg Law Library has a variety of reference materials related to career planning that students can use.  

Judicial Clerkships

CDO is committed to helping students and graduates pursue judicial clerkships in state and federal courts by providing resources and direction needed for success.

Counseling Services

Administrators and career counselors help candidates identify clerkship opportunities, complete applications, and prepare for interviews.

Faculty Support 

CDO also works closely with candidates and faculty members to obtain and process faculty recommendations.

Resources

CDO publishes a Judicial Clerkship Handbook detailing the:

  • Benefits of clerking
  • Clerkship candidate credentials
  • Judges and courts who hire clerks
  • St. John’s Law alumni and faculty who have had judicial clerkships

We also offer an online system for clerkship application and review (OSCAR) and host information sessions and webinars to help candidates navigate the clerkship application process. 

Programs for Students

CDO coordinates two programs that allow St. John’s Law students to engage in public service through the state and federal court systems:

  • Federal Scholars Program: Offers stipends to qualified students for unpaid summer internships with the federal judiciary, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice, and Federal Public Defenders
  • Roy L. Reardon New York State Court of Appeals Fellows Program: Encourages students to work for the summer in New York State courts.

Public Interest and Public Service Jobs

Collaborating with the Law School’s DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center, CDO helps students search for public interest and public service jobs. We provide information and resources related to: 

  • Government honors programs
  • Internships and fellowships
  • Funding sources
  • Key deadlines

In addition, students have opportunities to participate in public interest and public service initiatives and programs, including the:

  • Pro Bono Scholars Program
  • DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center Fellows Program
  • Spring Break Service Program
  • Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program

St. John’s Law students can also use Paladin, an online platform that lists pro bono and volunteer opportunities from legal services organizations in New York and nationwide. Paladin helps students find opportunities that match their interests and allows them to track pro bono hours for eligibility for the Pro Bono Service Award, given to graduates who complete at least 100 hours of pro bono work during their time in law school.

To learn more, visit the DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center.

Career Development Office Reciprocity

While CDO is always here to help, students who want to pursue job opportunities outside the New York Metropolitan area can also access career services at other law schools through reciprocity. To request reciprocity within our law school network, please email us at [email protected]. (Students from other law schools who want to use St. John’s Law CDO services should contact their home career office to request reciprocity.)

Our Programs

Throughout the academic year, CDO sponsors a variety of programs for students, including our:

Professional Development Course

Taking this course in their first semester at St. John’s Law, students learn about: 

  • Job search strategies and technologies
  • Hiring timelines
  • Resume and cover letter drafting
  • Interviewing

They also explore cultural competency, professional identity formation, and other topics that help them navigate law school and prepare for a rewarding legal career.

Student-Alumni Career Conference

Each fall, CDO hosts the Student-Alumni Career Conference that brings 1Ls together with Law School alumni who share their work experiences, offer practical insights and tips, and answer student questions about life in the law.

Recruitment Programs

CDO coordinates robust recruitment programs in the Fall and Spring to connect private and public sector employers with hardworking St. John’s Law students who are looking for summer and postgraduate jobs.

First Look

First Look offers employers early access to talented St. John’s Law students so they can engage with students on an accelerated recruitment schedule.

Direct Applications

If employers prefer that students submit applications to them directly, CDO will publicize the application information and guide those students who want to apply for the posted positions.

In-Person or Virtual Interviews

Through our On-Campus Interview (OCI)/Virtual Interview Program, representatives from law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and public interest organizations interview St. John’s Law students at the law school or via live video conferencing. 

Resume Collections

Employers can request that CDO collect applications and forward them as a group for employer review and consideration.

Employers’ Showcases

Prior to our Recruitment Programs, CDO hosts Employers’ Showcases giving St. John’s Law students the opportunity to connect with employer representatives—including St. John’s Law alumni—to learn about their workplace mission, culture, and practices.

Other Alumni-Supported Programs 

Alumni also help our students prepare for job interviews through CDO’s Mock Interview Program and participate in Career Panels featuring attorneys who work in different practice areas and settings.

Job Fairs and More

St. John’s participates with other law schools in regional and national job fairs. Working closely with our Assistant Dean for Diversity Equity and Inclusion and the Director of our DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center, CDO hosts programs designed to increase employment opportunities—including internships, externships, and fellowships—for our students. 

Contact Us

To learn more about how CDO supports St. John’s Law students in their career development, please contact us at [email protected].