Law Career Services

Reciprocity

Most law schools, through a process called reciprocity, permit graduates of other law schools to use their career services office and/or to subscribe to their graduate job newsletters. Not all schools offer reciprocity. And in locations where there is more than one law school, graduates may usually only obtain reciprocity at one of the area law schools. Those schools that do grant reciprocity may do so only at certain times of the year and/or for a restricted period of time (e.g., six months) and/or impose other restrictions. To request reciprocity at another law school, contact the office at 312-362-8377.

RECIPROCITY POLICY

NALP member law schools support a policy of providing job search assistance to students and graduates of other schools through reciprocity. This allows law schools to provide reasonable access to their career resources for a prescribed period of time for law students and graduates from other law schools that agree to provide similar services. This Reciprocity Policy, in part or as a whole, may be modified by DePaul University’s Law Career Services Office at any time, without advance notice.

SECTION 1. Definitions
As used in this Reciprocity Policy, the following terms shall each have the meaning set forth in this Section.

• "Blackout Period" means the periods of August 1st – October 31st and February 1st – March 31st when reciprocity is not available at DePaul University College of Law.
• "Blue Demon" means a graduate of any College (other than Law) of DePaul University, who is a student at or graduate of any law school other than DePaul University College of Law who is seeking reciprocity with DePaul University College of Law’s Law Career Services Office.
• "DePaul Law" means DePaul University College of Law.
• "LCS" means the Law Career Services Office of DePaul Law located in O’Malley Suite 960.
• "Policy" means this Reciprocity Policy.
• "Reciprocity Period" means the period in which reciprocity services are available to an individual granted reciprocity.
• "Reciprocity Seeker" means a student at or graduate from a law school other than DePaul Law.

SECTION 2. DePaul Law Students & Alumni - Access to Other Law Schools

DePaul Law students and alumni can request access to the career office at a law school in another city for a prescribed period of time by faxing (312.362.8373) or hand delivering this completed form along with a copy of the desired school’s reciprocity policy to Sergio Fernandez of LCS. Please note that many law schools have black out dates during which time reciprocity requests will not be granted. Sergio will notify you by e-mail of the outcome of your reciprocity request as soon as he receives confirmation from the school(s) from which you are seeking reciprocity.

Please note that reciprocity services are a privilege and are not guaranteed. If you are granted reciprocity by another law school’s career office, as a representative of DePaul Law you are expected to behave professionally at all times with respect to any interaction you may have with that school’s career office staff. You are also expected to treat the school’s career office staff, facility and resources with respect.

If you have questions about reciprocity, please contact Sergio Fernandez at rfernand@depaul.edu.

SECTION 3. Students & Alumni from Other Law Schools - Access to LCS

LCS provides reasonable access of resources to Reciprocity Seekers from law schools outside of the Chicago area that allow similar access to their services on a reciprocal basis. The specifics of the policy are listed below.

• Reciprocity services are available only to ABA-accredited law schools which allow DePaul Law students and alumni/ae use of their facilities.
• Reciprocity is not available to a Reciprocity Seeker from a Chicago-area law school.
• Pursuant to an agreement among the law schools comprising The Chicago Area Law School Consortium, reciprocity services are not available to a Reciprocity Seeker already granted reciprocity by another Chicago-area law school.
• A Reciprocity Seeker’s career office should send an e-mail containing the following information to Mr. Sergio Fernandez:
1. Name of law school;
2. Name of Reciprocity Seeker;
3. Year of graduation of Reciprocity Seeker;
4. E-mail address of Reciprocity Seeker;
5. Mailing address of Reciprocity Seeker; AND
6. Phone number of Reciprocity Seeker.
• Given the large number of reciprocity requests received by LCS, please allow sufficient time for Mr. Fernandez to review and respond to your request. Reciprocity requests are usually processed within two weeks of receipt. Mr. Fernandez will email the Reciprocity Seeker (assuming an email address is provided) and his/her law school career office a letter granting or denying reciprocity.
• Reciprocity is not available during the Blackout Period, regardless of when reciprocity is initially granted.
• Reciprocity will begin on the date that Mr. Fernandez sends confirmation that reciprocity has been granted. No walk-in requests will be honored.
• Reciprocity services are available for a period of three consecutive months from the date on which reciprocity is granted or until the last business day prior to the beginning of a Blackout Period, whichever comes first. During this Reciprocity Period, the number of visits and the days and times during which reciprocity services can be used may be restricted.
• A Reciprocity Seeker granted reciprocity by DePaul Law is required to present, each time he/she visits, a hard copy of the email granting reciprocity and a photo ID at the front desk of LCS before using the facility.
• Once the Reciprocity Period for a Reciprocity Seeker granted reciprocity by DePaul Law expires, that Reciprocity Seeker cannot seek reciprocity privileges with DePaul Law for at least one full calendar year after the date on which the Reciprocity Period expired.
• Reciprocity services will be denied to a Reciprocity Seeker (i) from any law school surpassing three (3) requests within a given calendar year or (ii) who misuses LCS facilities or services.
• Reciprocity requires in-person use of LCS. Reciprocity services include, to the extent that the reciprocating school provides in-kind services, the following:
• In-office access only to handouts currently made available by hard copy;
• In-office use only of circulating and non-circulating library materials; AND
• In-office access only to hard copies of employment listings [except "blind ads"].
• Reciprocity services DO NOT include the following:
• Access to password-protected areas of DePaul Law/LCS Web Pages (this includes on-line job postings);
• Career advising services;
• Access to career office computers;
• Review of application materials (résumés, cover letters, and the like);
• Mock interviews;
• Participation in any DePaul Law-sponsored recruitment program or the ability to schedule interview appointments with prospective employers on DePaul Law's campus;
• Participation in any DePaul Law career-related programming; AND
• Résumé collection or résumé book services.
• Reciprocity is a privilege extended to a Reciprocity Seeker and is granted on a case-by-case basis. A grant of reciprocity is not guaranteed.
• LCS reserves the right to deny or terminate reciprocity extended to a Reciprocity Seeker at any time. Misrepresentation of reciprocity status by the Reciprocity Seeker and/or misuse of any DePaul Law/LCS services or facilities will result in the immediate termination of present privileges and denial of future requests.

SECTION 4. Blue Demon - Access to LCS

LCS provides reasonable access of resources to a Blue Demon. The specifics of the policy are listed below.

• For the time period of one (1) calendar year from the date of a Blue Demon’s law school graduation, reciprocity privileges will be subject to the terms of Section 3 of this Policy. Once that time period elapses, reciprocity will be subject to the following terms:
• A Reciprocity Seeker’s career office should send an e-mail containing the following information to Mr. Sergio Fernandez :
1. Name of law school;
2. Name of Reciprocity Seeker;
3. Year of graduation of Reciprocity Seeker;
4. E-mail address of Reciprocity Seeker;
5. Mailing address of Reciprocity Seeker; AND
6. Phone number of Reciprocity Seeker.
• Given the large number of reciprocity requests received by LCS, please allow sufficient time for Mr. Fernandez to review and respond to your request. Reciprocity requests are usually processed within two weeks of receipt. Mr. Fernandez will email the Reciprocity Seeker (assuming an email address is provided) and his/her law school career office a letter granting or denying reciprocity.
• Reciprocity is not available during the Blackout Period, regardless of when reciprocity is initially granted.
• Reciprocity will begin on the date that Mr. Fernandez sends confirmation that reciprocity has been granted. No walk-in requests will be honored.
• A Reciprocity Seeker granted reciprocity by DePaul Law is required to present, each time he/she visits, a hard copy of the email granting reciprocity and a photo ID at the front desk of LCS before using the facility.
• Reciprocity services include the following:
• In-office access only to handouts currently made available by hard copy;
• In-office use only of circulating and non-circulating library materials;
• In-office access only to hard copies of employment listings [except “blind ads”]; AND
• Access to browse on-line job postings found in DePaul Law’s on-line job posting database (Symplicity).
• Reciprocity services DO NOT include the following:
• Access to any password-protected areas of DePaul Law/LCS Web Pages, other than Symplicity as noted above;
• Career advising services;
• Access to career office computers;
• Review of application materials (résumés, cover letters, and the like);
• Mock interviews;
• Participation in any DePaul Law-sponsored recruitment program or the ability to schedule interview appointments with prospective employers on DePaul Law's campus;
• Participation in any DePaul Law career-related programming; AND
• Résumé collection or résumé book services
• LCS reserves the right to deny or terminate reciprocity extended to a Blue Demon at any time. Misrepresentation of reciprocity status by the Blue Demon and/or misuse of any DePaul Law/LCS services or facilities will result in the immediate termination of present privileges and denial of future requests.

Revised 5/09