College of Law

STUDENTS
&
THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

We are your counsel, here to advise you as you set your goals and priorities.  We believe success is about much more than simply landing a job.  It is about your dreams and ambitions, about building a set of skills that empower you to set a course for your career and personal life.  We are here to help you understand and order the things that matter to you, whether a practice area, work-life balance, income, location, and beyond.

It is never too soon to come see us, even if you aren’t sure what you want to ask.  What matters is that we start a conversation that will last over three years of law school and beyond, and at its core has one fundamental question: What do you want?

 

JD students, get started below. MLS student please visit our MLS career advising page.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Register on 12twenty
Not only is this where we post all jobs and manage on-campus interview programs, it is the tool we use to communicate with you, to announce programs, to alert you to fellowships and competitions and much more. It only takes a few minutes to sign up, so click HERE now!
Sign Up
Schedule a Meeting
We believe individual counseling is critical to our ability to support you as you navigate your career options and booking an appointment with any of us in CDO takes less than five minutes, so please click on the Calendly links by or names below and book a time to meet today.
New! Job Fair Travel Funding from CDO
The Career Development Office (CDO) is excited to announce funding to support travel and related costs for currently enrolled J.D. students who want to participate in job fairs across the United States. Funding is available now, and the funding policy and application are available at the link below. Funds are limited, so the sooner a current J.D, student applies the better chance they will receive an award.
View the policy & application
CDO: Judicial Clerkship Interviewing Travel Assistance Fund
The Career Development Office (CDO) at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law is pleased to offer limited financial assistance to currently enrolled J.D. students who are interviewing for judicial clerkships within the United States.
View the policy & application
Start Drafting a Resume and Cover Letter
There are two documents you will need for almost every job application, and the ones you use for legal jobs are unique. You can see examples of how to create these documents and more by downloading a copy of the CDO 1L Handbook from the 12twenty Resource Library here.
Join a Student Organization
Student organizations look good on a resume. They are a great way to connect with fellow students who have a shared interest and can be the perfect break from class and studying. Leadership roles are also a lot more valuable than the number of organizations you join, so be selective and then run for a leadership position or volunteer to chair a committee.
Clean Up Your Social Media
Every year a student loses a position or does not receive an offer because of their social media. Now is the time to clean it up. A good rule of thumb is that if would not make your grandmother proud, it should probably be deleted. We are not saying you need to hide who you are, just understand that the picture of you performing that record keg stand will harm your reputation.
Think Big and Broad About Your Future
A law degree is the door to entering legal practice, but it also gives you skills in demand across a wide array of careers. There are almost certainly opportunities you have never heard of or been exposed to, so explore your options and be open to new ideas. It can feel a bit overwhelming, we know, so come and see us. We can help you get started, sort through options, and even suggest some new ones.
Be the Very Best Version of You
Reputation matters. In short order you will create the frame though which you are viewed, and it is had to move that frame. This is not about grades or rankings. This is about your character in practice and in everyday life. For example, when you walk into the building, do you hold the door open for the next person, or do you carefully not look them in the eye and just keep going? If you do the former, and make the same kind of choices at every decision point, you are probably making the right choice when the consequences are more stark and impactful. Plus, doing the right thing will probably make you and those around you kinder, happier and more successful.
Public Interest Fellowships
Post-graduate fellowships are a great way to launch a public interest career. Fellowship organizations allow applicants to address the legal needs of under-served populations. They typically last for one or two years, and applicants receive a stipend or salary along with other benefits.
Fellowship Options

WHY I.....

Learn about the careers our alumni pursued in their own words

Why I became lawyer/community advocate/community organizer

For me, going to law school was more than about becoming an attorney.  I went to law school and became an attorney so that I could have the tools, resources, and networks necessary to improve the community in which I live and work.  I recognized from a young age that there are inequities that require correction and I learned – through my education and as a practicing attorney – the skills I need to effectuate and bring about those changes.

  • Graduation date: May 2018
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Employer, title: Employers Council, Employment Law Attorney
- Abby Dizon-Maughan

Why I became a business litigator and appellate attorney

I came to law school with a background in journalism. So I was familiar with meeting deadlines, fact-gathering, writing, and editing. During law school, I grew interested in litigation because it was similar to journalism in many ways. You need to be accurate and fair. You need to write effectively. You need to do your due diligence to investigate a case and frame it up. All of that spoke to the instincts I had learned in journalism school and as an editor at several daily newspapers. As I worked on writing projects in law school, it also became clear to me that my voice had an advocacy tone. The teacher of my 1L writing course told me as much. She suggested that I do a clerkship after graduation or perhaps look into political speech writing. After working as a summer associate at Parsons Behle & Latimer, my interest in litigation continued to grow, particularly as I began to be exposed to case strategy. That was followed by three years of clerking for appellate judges, which provided incredible training in writing and legal analysis. I still really enjoy the writing aspects of the job and the days when I can spend hours focused on research and writing on an interesting legal issue.

  • Graduation date: 2010
  • Location: Salt Lake City
  • Employer, title: Parsons Behle & Latimer, Shareholder and Recruiting Committee Chair
- Adam Weinacker

Why I became an employment law attorney?

I became an employment law attorney because I enjoy seeing the immediate impact my counsel has on my clients’ businesses. I help my clients ensure that their employees’ rights are protected while at work, a place a majority of people spend more time at than their home. This kind of day-to-day impact, along with the consistently shifting law, makes for an exciting career.

  • Graduation date: May 2018
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Employer, title: Employers Council, Employment Law Attorney
- Brian Tuttle

Why I became an immigration and criminal defense attorney

I became immigration and criminal defense attorney because of the enormous impact that we are able to have on the course of an entire family's life. It is extremely rewarding to help people obtain legal status in the United States because that achievement cascades onto future generations and opens opportunities for each family member to reach their full potential. As the son of two immigrants who never even attended high school, I understand better than most how impactful it is for parents of U.S. citizen children to have legal status. I have been able to become an attorney and help hundreds of families in my community, in large part because my family did not suffer from immigration concerns. I will help thousands more before my career is over.

  • Graduation date: May 2013
  • Location: Salt Lake City
  • Employer, title: Stowell Crayk, PLLC - Associate Attorney
- Carlos Navarro

Why I became a public benefits attorney

I graduated at the height of the economic downturn in 2008-2009, so ended up opening my own office. I knew that I would have to take clients in a lot of different areas, so started attending CLE’s in a lot of different areas: family law, employment law, worker’s compensation, property law, etc. I knew I wanted to help people. Gradually, over the course of 10 years, I started to concentrate on working in the Worker’s Compensation and Social Security Disability areas of law as I seemed to have a knack for them, and I had written an article for JLREL while in law school on Administrative Law, so gravitated towards that kind of practice.

  • Graduation date: May 2009
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Employer, title: Staff attorney, Public Benefits at Utah Legal Services
- Jennifer Bogart

Why I became a family law attorney

After witnessing a traumatic divorce that ripped my friend’s family apart, I was determined to be a dedicated and zealous family law advocate. My goal is to help my client navigate one of the most stressful periods of life, in a field that impacts every area of one’s life—relationships, children, and finances.

  • Graduation date: 2015
  • Location: Salt Lake City
  • Employer, title: Associate at Dart, Adamson & Donovan
- Kayla Quam

Why I became an SEC Enforcement attorney

I knew going into law school that I wanted to work in public service but wasn’t sure exactly what that looked like for me. During law school, I developed an interest in securities law, and realized that working for the SEC was the perfect fit for me. I was extremely lucky to get in with the SEC early in my career through the SEC’s Chair Honor’s Program.

  • Graduation date: May 2013
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Employer, title: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement, Investigative Attorney.
- Laurie Abbott

Why I became a prosecutor

I like the fast pace of the work and the opportunity for extensive courtroom experience. The cases are also really interesting

  • Graduation date: 2015
  • Location: Salt Lake City
  • Employer, title: Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Deputy District Attorney
- Rebecca Buchert

REACH OUT TO THE CDO TEAM

You can also reach out to anyone on the CDO team by phone or email, or book a meeting through the Calendly Meeting Scheduler links below.

Arturo Thompson
Arturo Thompson
Assistant Dean, Career Development Office
Jim Holbrook
Jim Holbrook
Director of Special Projects
Amanda Barr
Amanda Barr
Career Counselor
Dominic Militello
Dominic Militello
Graduate Career Strategist
Cynthia Lane
Cynthia Lane
Administrative Assistant