Drake University Law School received the number two spot on preLaw magazine’s list of top schools for employment in Small Law, defined as firms with 100 or fewer attorneys. According to preLaw, schools that do well in Small Law are commended because of the effort it takes to establish relationships with such firms, since they do not always recruit as routinely as Big Law firms, if at all. That might mean strategizing with smaller firms on the best way to reach students. “The one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment does not fit every firm,” says Katie Overberg of Drake Law School’s Career Development Office. “From an employer relations standpoint, we seek to accommodate the hiring schedules of small and medium-sized firms, as well as those of larger firms coming to campus.”
Drake Law School students are well positioned to thrive in a small or medium-sized firm setting. At graduation, many have experience comparable to that of newer associates, thanks to a curriculum that balances theory and practice, along with opportunities to build skills in a state-of-the-art legal clinic and competitive skills teams. For firms that need associates in action sooner than their larger counterparts, Drake Law School graduates are strong candidates.
“We will always have larger firms and judges on campus for recruiting and we enjoy being part of that process and helping our students find a good match professionally,” explained Overberg. “But that route is not what everyone wants, and our goal in Career Development is to get to know our students in their first year, then help them throughout law school to find opportunities that meet their skills and interests.”
In addition to one-on-one career counseling, the Career Development Office organizes events that expand students’ networks and exposure to different careers. Practitioners and alumni are consistently involved in programming to connect with students. As the only law school in the capital city, Drake Law students have a competitive advantage for internships and clerkships and a close proximity to the legislative process. The Career Development Office at Drake Law School is committed to providing support for the traditional and alternative legal employment market, whether local, national, or abroad.