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Career Services

Recruiting Policies

Non-Discrimination Agreement:

The University of Alabama School of Law is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and of nondiscrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex (which includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), gender, age, handicap or disability, sexual orientation or military status. It does not discriminate on these factors in administering its educational policies; admission policies; employment, promotion, and compensation policies; financial aid and scholarship programs; and other school-related activities. Only employers in agreement with this policy may use the services of the Law School. By using the Law School’s services, employers assure the Law School that they observe this nondiscrimination policy. By federal law, the military is allowed to interview at the Law School.

NALP Principles for a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Process

All recruitment activity shall be guided by NALP’s Principles for a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Process.

Standards for the Timing of Offers and Decisions

To promote fair and ethical practices for the interviewing and decision-making process, The University of Alabama School of Law observes the following standards for the timing of offers and decisions:

A. General Provisions

  1. All offers to law student 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 three days 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.

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. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within 14 days from the date of the offer letter, if an employer requests such reaffirmation in its offer letter.  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. Employers should grant reasonable requests for extensions to students to whom they have extended offers.
  3. Employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open until at least October 1 of the candidate’s final year of law school, provided that such offers are made prior to or on September 2. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within thirty days from the date of the offer letter, if an employer requests such reaffirmation in its offer letter. After September 2 of a candidate’s final year of law school, employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 28 days following the date of the offer letter.
  4. If an employer makes an offer to a law student candidate not previously employed by that employer before the beginning of the law school’s on-campus interview program, that offer should not expire until at least 21 days following the first day of the law school’s on-campus interview program.  Employers should contact the law school to determine these dates.
  5. 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 1-4 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. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within 14 days from the date of the offer letter, if an employer requests such affirmation in its offer letter. 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. Employers should grant reasonable requests for extensions to students to whom they have extended offers.
  3. Employers offering positions for the following summer to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open until at least 21 days following the first day of the law school’s on-campus interview program.
  4. If an employer makes an offer to a law student candidate not previously employed by that employer before the beginning of the law school’s on-campus interview program, that offer should not expire until at least 21 days following the first day of the law school’s on-campus interview program.  Employers should contact the law school to determine these dates.
  5. Employers offering candidates positions for the following summer and having a total of 40 attorneys or fewer in all offices are exempted from Paragraphs 1-4 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. To position law students to be as successful as possible, their efforts during the first semester of law school should focus on their studies rather than on job search activities.  Nonetheless, opportunities to learn about professionalism, professional development and the legal profession in a group setting are appropriate early in law school.  Employers are welcome to participate in general information sessions with students, so long as the program is open to all students and class years.
  2. The Career Services Office will begin meeting with first-year students beginning October 1 of their first year.
  3. Employers should not initiate formal recruiting of first-year students prior to November 1. Public service employers and government employers that require extensive background checks may recruit prior to November 1 in limited circumstances.
  4. All offers to first year students for summer employment should remain open for at least two weeks after the date made.