DePaul Law Students Outside of O'Malley

From Classroom to Legal Career

Shape your path with personalized guidance and a powerful alumni network

DePaul Law Student Advice

A Partner in Your Professional Growth

<div class="ck-content"><p>DePaul Law’s Office of Professional &amp; Career Development offers individualized advising to help you clarify your goals and navigate your career path with confidence. Through early engagement, tailored resources and one-on-one support, you will build a strong professional identity and prepare for meaningful legal work. Find support at every step—from your first year through your transition into the legal profession and beyond.</p></div>

Connect Today
Preparing to Practice

<div class="ck-content"><p>All first-year DePaul Law students begin their legal careers with Preparing to Practice (P2P), a required, yearlong program that builds essential professional development skills and helps you develop a strong professional identity. Through interactive workshops and networking events, you will master career fundamentals like resume writing, interviewing and professional communication while exploring various legal practice areas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>P2P also provides an in-depth look at the business of law, ethics and time management, along with guidance from career advisors and practicing attorneys, to help you establish a foundation for a successful, ethically grounded career.</p></div>

DePaul Law Student Preparing to Practice
CAREER RESOURCES

Resources for Every Step of the Journey

Get support tailored for each step of your professional path. From 1Ls building a foundation to alumni advancing their careers, we offer tools, guidance and access to a network that can help you move forward with purpose.
Resources for First-Year Law Students 
Learn More
Resources for Second-Year Law Students 
Learn More
Resources for Third-Year Law Students 
Learn More
Resources for Evening Students 
Learn More
Resources for Alumni 
Learn More
DePaul Law Class of 2025 Reported Employment

Where DePaul Law Students and Alumni Make an Impact

Our students and graduates bring strong skills, purpose and professionalism. Here are some of the organizations that have welcomed them.*

  • Alvarez and Marsal

  • Barnes and Thornburg

  • Benesh Friedlander Coplan and Aronoff

  • Chapman and Cutler

  • Cook County State Attorney's Office

  • Croke Fairchild Duarte and Beres

  • Crowell and Moring

  • Davis Friedman

  • Dinsmore and Shohl

  • Faegre Drinker

  • Foley and Lardner

  • Harter Seacrest and Emery LLP

  • Heyl, Royster, Voelker and Allen

  • Husch Blackwell

  • Ice Miller

  • Irwin IP LLP

  • Jenner and Block

  • Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

  • Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton LLP

  • Kirkland and Ellis

  • Lake County Stat's Attorney's Office

  • Lavelle Law

  • Mayer Brown

  • McDonnell, Boehnen, Hulbert and Berghoff LLP

  • MG+M

  • Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office

  • Michael Best and Friedrich

  • Nicolaides Fink Thorpe Michaelides Sullivan LLP

  • Nixon Peabody

  • Office of the Bronx County District Attorney

  • Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

  • Office of the Illinois Attorney General

  • O. Long Law, LLC

  • O'Melveny and Myers (NYC)

  • O'Neill McFadden Willett LLP

  • Perkins Coie

  • Reed Smith

  • Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

  • Rothberg Logan and Warsco LLP

  • Saul Ewing Arnstein and Lehr

  • SBSB Eastham

  • Seyfarth Shaw LLP

  • Sheppard Mullin

  • Sidley Austin

  • Skarzynski Marick and Black LLP

  • Stradley Ronon Stevens and Young

  • Swanson, Martin and Bell

  • Thompson Coburn

  • US Army Corps of Engineers, Office of the Chief Counsel Civilian Honors Program

  • Will County Public Defender

  • Winston and Strawn

*This list includes employers who have participated in DePaul Law recruiting programs; this is not an exhaustive list.

Every Path, One Place: DePaul Law in Chicago
In Chicago’s Loop, law isn’t in one place—it’s everywhere. Courts, law firms, government offices, corporations and public interest organizations operate side by side.
Law Firms: Big Law and More
Most people hear “law firm” and think Big Law. That’s just one version of it. In the Loop, large, Chicago-founded firms like Sidley Austin LLP and Mayer Brown handle major corporate deals and high-stakes litigation through offices around the world. Others, like single-office firm Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, advise clients across business, regulatory and litigation matters. Some focus more narrowly, such as Clifford Law Offices in personal injury and wrongful death and Banner Witcoff in intellectual property. Every kind of law firm can be found in Chicago’s Loop, within blocks of DePaul Law.
Corporate Law: Not Every Lawyer Works At a Firm
In the Loop, companies like the CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) and Northern Trust rely on lawyers for markets, finance and regulatory strategy. At Exelon, lawyers work on energy, regulatory and compliance matters, while United Airlines relies on lawyers across contracts, operations and risk. Same degree. Different role. The companies that run the economy are all within blocks of DePaul Law.
Government: How Lawyers Serve the Public
In the Loop, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecutes criminal cases, while the Cook County Public Defender represents those who cannot afford a lawyer. The Illinois Attorney General's Office handles statewide litigation and enforcement, and the United States Attorneys' Offices prosecutes federal cases. Lawyers at the City of Chicago’s Law Department handle municipal litigation and policy, while attorneys across federal agencies focus on regulation, compliance and enforcement. Prosecution. Defense. Enforcement. Policy. All happening side by side within blocks of DePaul Law.
Public Interest: Expanding Access to Justice
Too many people face serious legal problems without meaningful access to help. In the Loop, organizations like Legal Aid Chicago, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Ascend Justice and the National Immigrant Justice Center provide free or low-cost legal help when housing, family stability, immigration status and other serious needs are on the line. It’s law at its most direct, helping people navigate real problems when they have nowhere else to turn, all within blocks of DePaul Law.
Advocacy: Changing the System
Not all legal work happens case by case, some of it is about changing how the system works. In the Loop, organizations like the ACLU of Illinois, Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Equip for Equality use litigation, policy advocacy and other legal strategies to challenge systemic barriers and protect individual rights. It’s law that shapes the rules people live under, all within blocks of DePaul Law.
Courts: Where Cases Move Forward
When legal disputes can’t be resolved elsewhere, this is where they’re decided. In the Loop, the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse handles federal trials, appeals and bankruptcy cases. The Richard J. Daley Center is home to Cook County’s civil courts. The Illinois Appellate Court, First District, also in the Loop, reviews decisions from Cook County. Where cases are argued, decided and appealed, all within blocks of DePaul Law.
DePaul Law Student At Desk

Hire DePaul Law Talent

Looking to connect with exceptional legal talent?

<div class="ck-content"><p>&nbsp;DePaul Law offers a pipeline of practice-ready students and alumni who are prepared to contribute from the start. Whether you’re hiring for internships, clerkships or full-time roles, we’ll help you find candidates who align with your organization’s needs.</p><p>Explore our employer resources to post opportunities, connect with students and graduates and discover how DePaul Law can support your recruitment goals.</p></div>

Learn More
DePaul Law Student Smiling At Desk

Launch Your Legal Career

<div class="ck-content"><p>Learn from dedicated faculty while connecting with top employers, including Kirkland and Ellis, Mayer Brown and the Cook County State Attorney’s Office. Leading organizations recruit from DePaul Law, and as a DePaul Law student, you can access opportunities, guidance and support to launch your impact on the legal profession.</p></div>