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Advancing Democracy Area of Expertise

Career Pathways

ASU Law alumni are contributing to advancing democracy around the world. From federal and state law clerks, to public defenders and prosecutors and nonprofit staff counsel, students who graduate from ASU Law have secured a wide variety of job opportunities in both the public and private sectors.


Federal Trade Commission Chair, Lina M. Khan talking with three ASU Law students in buisiness suits.

Types of careers in this field 

  • Administrative judge
  • Assistant attorney general
  • City attorney
  • County attorney
  • Criminal defense attorney
  • Federal agencies/departments - assistant general counsel
  • Federal judicial law clerk
  • Immigration attorney
  • Legal consultant for a legislative committee
  • Legal services attorney 
  • Legislative aide
  • Prosecutor
  • Public defender
  • Public service/nonprofit law firm attorney
  • Staff counsel for a nonprofit organization
  • State agencies/departments - assistant general counsel
  • State appellate judicial law clerk
  • State trial judicial law clerk
  • Tribal legal services attorney
  • Tribal prosecutor

ASU Law students earn record number of judicial clerkships

Students who graduate from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University are used to making an impact. Now, they’re breaking records. According to data from the American Bar Association, ASU Law counted a record 39 judicial clerkships for the 2023–24 year — 15% of the graduating class. That included seven federal and 32 state positions. Graduates secured 32 clerkships the year prior. A judicial clerkship is a one- or two-year position that pairs a law graduate with a judge to assist them with formulating decisions. Clerks often review court records, research the law and help draft opinions. Clerkship positions are prestigious and competitive. ASU Law alums who graduated in 2023 earned clerkship positions across the U.S. — from Alaska to Washington, D.C.

Read the full story

Stacy Leeds, Noah Goldenberg and guest pose for a photo.

Career Services

Your career growth partner during and after law school 

ASU Law provides students with a personally tailored experience, giving them the flexibility to maximize their education and career opportunities to land their ideal jobs.

From their first day, the Career Services office engages students in career development guidance and resources to contribute to their post-graduation success. This relationship with career services allows students to access a variety of resources such as resume and cover letter reviews, interview prep, one-on-one counseling and access to our online job board.

Learn more

Meet JD alum, Alexander Earle

Alexander Earle graduated with a JD from ASU Law and was named an ASU Outstanding Graduate. A Phoenix native, he sought to serve and represent its vibrant, diverse community. 

“I wanted to serve the broader Phoenix community and also one that represents where I am from as well. There are classes at ASU Law that honed in on oral advocacy specifically, where they had us practice giving presentations and speaking to Judges. My confidence slowly but surely built up to the point where I am now able to speak clearly and freely with clients, and I feel I can be way more effective now than ever before. 

Earle now works as a Criminal Defense Attorney for the Maricopa County Public Defender Office.