NALP Standards for First Term, First-year Students

• Law schools should not offer placement services to first semester first year law students prior to November 1.
• 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. No first year applications will be considered until December 1 or later.
• Prior to November 1 schools may offer programs and information for first year students on the organization and responsibilities of the legal profession, the variety of settings in which lawyers work, the general process of career planning and self assessment.
• Prior to November 1 schools should not offer programs for first year students covering the job search process or its specific components such as resume and cover letter writing, interviewing skills, or targeting employers for applications.
• First term first year students cannot meet with an advisor in our office until November 1 or later . When scheduling appointments for first year students be sure to ask if they are first term students. Ask them how many credits they have completed .
• They can attend career programs except for the mock interview program and applying for FOCIS.
• After November 1 our office puts on a summer job search workshop for first year students.
• See NALP Principles and Standards, Part V