Student Employment Policies

Employment Policy

1. Law school is a full time job, and the initial adjustment is especially demanding. Consequently, students are not permitted to work for pay in any capacity during their first semester of law school.

2. The law school discourages working for pay while enrolled, even when it is allowable. However, the following policies and procedures govern all students, some of whom may wish to work for pay.

a. Each enrolled student must sign, prior to commencement of first-year classes, a form that acknowledges receipt of the school’s policies on working for pay while enrolled.
b. Before commencing employment, each enrolled student must sign a form that reports both any employer for whom the student anticipates working and the number of hours per week the student anticipates working. Students are under a continuing obligation to update the form, should their employment circumstances change.
c. Continuing students with a GPA below 2.33 are prohibited from working for pay during fall or spring semesters until such time as they earn a cumulative GPA of 2.33 or higher.
d. Second semester first-year students who earned a GPA of 2.33 or higher in their first semester may work for pay no more than 10 hours per week during their second semester. However, all such work is subordinate to class obligations - including, for example, make-up classes. Outside work - paid or otherwise - is never an excuse for failing to meet class obligations.
e. Second and third-year students with a GPA of 75 or higher may work for pay no more than 20 hours per week during fall or spring semesters. (Twenty hours per week is the maximum currently allowed by the American Bar Association to students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours.) However, all such work is subordinate to class obligations - including, for example, make-up classes. Outside work - paid or otherwise - is never an excuse for failing to meet class obligations.
f. A violation of sections a, b, c, or d above will be treated as a violation of the Honor Code. The penalty for such violation may include, among other things, withdrawal for the semester in which the violation occurs or is found, without refund. (May 2004)

Cancellation and No-Show Policies

Student Cancellation Procedure: Your participation in ASU’s On-Campus Interview (OCI) Program and any local or national law recruiting event requires your commitment to keep interview appointments or cancel them in a timely manner. The intent of the policy is to maximize opportunities for ASU students and to maintain the integrity and the reputation of ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law within the legal community.

Canceling Interviews

You must cancel interviews as soon as possible, but in no event later than 5:00 PM, two (2) business days prior to the scheduled interview date by canceling (“declining”) your interview on Symplicity. Click on Interview Schedule, then click on “decline” next to the employer name on your schedule.

No Show Policy

Failure to comply with the above-outlined cancellation procedure will result in suspension of On-Campus Interview Program participation and Symplicity registration. Students must send a letter of apology to the employer with a copy to the Career Center office before privileges can be reinstated.

Job Offer Acceptance

Upon accepting a job offer, (not a call-back interview and not simply receiving an offer) you should immediately notify (by telephone, with a follow-up letter) all of your remaining interviewing employers directly and cancel all remaining interviews.

Please notify the Career Center immediately of your employment. This will assist the Center with maintaining data on hiring trends and the seeking status of students by class year. It will also serve as assistance to fellow students researching potential employment opportunities or insight on the status of their current applications.

NALP GENERAL STANDARDS FOR THE TIMING OF OFFERS AND DECISIONS      

A. General Provisions
1.     All offers to law student candidates (“candidates”) should remain open for at least two weeks after the date of the offer letter unless the offers are made pursuant to Sections B and C below, in which case the later response date should apply. 
2.     Candidates are expected to accept or release offers or request an extension by the applicable deadline. Offers that are not accepted by the offer deadline expire. 
3.     A candidate should not hold open more than five offers of employment at any one time. For each offer received that places a candidate over the offer limit, the candidate should, within one week of receipt of the excess offer, release an offer. 
4.     Employers offering part-time or temporary positions for the school term are exempted from the requirements of Paragraphs B and C below. 
5.     Practices inconsistent with these guidelines should be reported to the candidate’s career services office.
B. Full-Time Employment Provisions
1.     Employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates not previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 28 days following the date of the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first. Offers made after December 15 for full-time positions to commence following graduation should remain open for at least two weeks after the date of the offer letter. 
2.     Candidates may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until as late as April 1 if the candidate is actively pursuing positions with public interest or government organizations. Candidates may hold open only one offer in such circumstances. Employers are encouraged to grant such requests. 
3.     Employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open until at least November 1 of the candidate’s final year of law school. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within thirty days from the date of the offer letter. Employers may retract any offer that is not reaffirmed within the 30 day period.
4.     Employers offering candidates full-time positions to commence following graduation and having a total of 40 attorneys or fewer in all offices are exempted from Paragraphs 1-3 of this Section. Instead, offers made on or before December 15 should remain open for at least three weeks following the date of the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first, and offers made after December 15 should remain open for at least two weeks.

 

C. Summer Employment Provisions for Second and Third Year Students
1.     Employers offering positions for the following summer to candidates not previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 28 days following the date of the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first. Offers made after December 15 for the following summer should remain open for at least two weeks after the date of the offer letter. 
2.     Candidates may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until as late as April 1 if the candidate is actively pursuing positions with public interest or government organizations. Candidates may hold open only one offer in such circumstances. Employers are encouraged to grant such requests. 
3.     Employers offering positions for the following summer to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open until at least November 1. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within thirty days from the date of the offer letter. Employers may retract any offer that is not reaffirmed within the 30 day period.
4.     Employers offering candidates positions for the following summer and having a total of 40 attorneys or fewer in all offices are exempted from Paragraphs 1-3 of this Section. Instead, offers made on or before December 15 should remain open for at least three weeks following the date of the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first, and offers made after December 15 should remain open for at least two weeks.
D. Summer Employment Provisions for First Year Students
1.     Law schools should not offer career services to first-semester first year law students prior to November 1 except in the case of part-time students who may be given assistance in seeking positions during the school term. 
2.     Prospective employers and first year law students should not initiate contact with one another and employers should not interview or make offers to first year students before December 1. 
3.     All offers to first year students for summer employment should remain open for at least two weeks after the date made.
Please refer to NALP’s Principals and Standards for Law Placement and Recruitment Activities for a complete statement of the responsibilities of law schools, law students, and prospective employers.