Fall/Spring Recruiting Program
Each year, the Career Services Office organizes both a Fall (August) and Spring (February/March) Recruiting program which provides second- and third-year law students an opportunity to apply and interview for summer associate/law clerk or entry-level associate/staff attorney positions with legal employers from the private, public and government sectors.
While the legal employers who participate are primarily large and midsize Chicago-based law firms, employers from the government sector participate as well. The program is generally referred to as OCI or “On-Campus Interviewing” and it is the process through which employers visit law schools nationwide to interview and hire students for the following summer or fall. Employers typically want to interview 2Ls to work as “summer associates” the following summer. However, some employers interview 3Ls and LL.M. students for permanent employment following graduation.
If the students hired for summer associate positions perform well during the summer, firms generally make offers to these students for full-time employment upon graduation. A number of government agencies also hire through this program, with the largest number of these agencies seeking graduating 3Ls. While some employers will interview students as part of the on-campus interview program, others will do resume collections or need to be contacted directly by students.
Eligibility Heading link
You may participate in Fall/Spring Recruiting and OCI if you are a:
- 2L
- 3L
- Graduating LLM student
While some employers will hire through OCI, a larger number of employers have expressed interest in receiving resumes from UIC Law students through our Resume Collection Service (RC) or Direct Contact by students (DC).
PLEASE NOTE: the Fall/Spring Recruiting program is only one pathway to obtaining legal employment. Other pathways depend on a number of other factors, including academic credentials, career goals, type of legal setting, location and practice interests. Fall Recruiting/OCI may be only one pathway you take among many or one you decide not to pursue. Be sure to talk with your Career Counselor to evaluate all employment opportunities to determine what is the appropriate path for you.
Resume Collection (RC) Heading link
The Resume Collection service is offered to employers who are unable to visit campus to recruit UIC Law students. These employers ask the CSO to collect resumes from students and send them on a designated date. RCs may occur throughout the fall and spring semesters. Thus, updated resumes and any other application materials must be submitted via Symplicity by the dates provided in Symplicity or via email. Students selected for interviews are contacted directly by the employer.
Direct Contact (DC) Heading link
Employers using this option request that students apply for positions directly with their organization. Students who are interested in these employers will submit their cover letter, resume, and any other required documents directly to the employer beginning in early June. While some employers contact the law school to let us know their hiring requirements, most do not. You need to research all employers who are not participating in OCI and RC to determine their hiring criteria and to prepare documents to submit to them. You can research and target employers throughout the country.
Joint OCI Employers Heading link
Certain legal employers from outside the Chicago area are given the opportunity to interview students from the Chicago-area law schools. The on-campus interview is typically hosted by one of the local area law schools. Employers who participate in this program are referred to as “Joint OCI Employers.” These employers will be included in the OCI Session even though they are interviewing on a campus other than UIC Law. The Career Services Office will forward all materials to these employers, and they will select which students they wish to interview on the date listed in the Symplicity system. Students selected for an interview may be contacted either by phone or by email from the employer or the Career Services Office regarding scheduling an interview time.
Employers Participating in Fall/Spring Recruiting and OCI Heading link
During the fall and spring recruiting sessions, OCI-eligible students may obtain a complete list of employers participating by clicking on the OCI Tab and selecting the appropriate “session”. The session represents the time period the employer will be on campus. Be sure to view all sessions for a complete list.
CSO Principles and Standards for Recruitment and Hiring Heading link
UIC School of Law is a member of The National Association for Law Placement (NALP), which has developed Principles for a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Process, to which employers, law schools and law students are encouraged to abide. These Principles were created to ensure fair and ethical hiring practices. In order to review these standards in detail and familiarize yourself with the timing guidelines, please visit www.nalp.org. These principles and standards only apply to legal employers that are members of NALP.