College of Law > Career Development > Students > First Year Law Students

First Year Law Students

​​​​​Advising Appointments

Your assigned Office of Professional & Career Development (PCD) advisor is your primary resource for all things job related while in law school and beyond. From resume and cover letter advice to job search strategy and networking plans, your PCD advisor is here to talk through all of your professional and job search related questions. First-year students are allowed to schedule an appointment with an advisor after September 15th. To schedule an appointment with your advisor, go to the Appointments tab on Vincent. To learn more about our advising team, take a look at our staff biographies here​.

Vincent

Vincent is your primary resource for online professional resources at DePaul. Vincent houses a wide variety of resources available to students and alumni, including class year specific job postings, quick practice area guides, a calendar of networking and professional development events, resume/cover letter guides, and more. Questions about how to use Vincent? Please email your assigned PCD advisor​, or email law_career@depaul.edu and we will be happy to assist you.

Access Vincent

Preparing to Practice (P2P)

This year-long, required, 1L course prepares law students to more competitively and competently enter the professional world. P2P introduces 1Ls to the legal profession and provides an overview of the professionalism skills critical for success. Each semester, students learn specific professional development techniques from the PCD facilitators and practicing attorneys.​

Bar Association Complimentary Membership

DePaul Law provides each first-year student with complimentary membership to a bar association (to be selected at orientation). Bar associations are a fantastic professional resource for learning about different practice areas, developing networking skills, and becoming a new member of the legal community.

Networking Events

Each year PCD organizes several networking events to help students engage with the large number of attorneys in the greater Chicago area. Examples of our networking events include:

  • Practice Area Exploration Fairs:  Held at the beginning of the Autumn semester, these events provide students with opportunities to talk to attorneys practicing in a wide variety of practice areas.
  • The Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC): Held in February each year, students gather for a day of interviews, resume collections and informal networking with approximately 50 public interest and government organization employers from around the country. For more information about MPILCC, take a look at the event website here.
  • Job Fair:  Held in Spring semester, this event focuses on connecting students with employers looking to hire clerks for the upcoming summer.
  • Meet the Government Employers:  Held in early Spring, this event focuses on connecting students with government employers throughout the Midwest.
  •  ​All Student & Recent Alumni Networking Reception:  Held in late Spring, this event focuses on connecting our students with our recent alumni who are actively practicing for less than five years.