Jobs

The Career Development Office uses Symplicity, a password-protected job database, for job postings. 

Logging In

You can access Symplicity through your Drake email and password – just bookmark this page: https://law-drake-csm.symplicity.com/sso/students for future use. If you need to reset your Drake password, you can do so online.  

Access is available only to Drake Law students and alumni and those granted access through Drake Law School’s Reciprocity Policy. If you believe you qualify under the policy and would like to request reciprocity, contact the CDO.

View Current Postings

To see current job postings, visit the Symplicity job database.  You can search by keywords and/or location and also set up job alerts.  Check back often as jobs are added daily.

Applicants should act quickly if they see a position that interests them.  Employers operate on their own timeline even if Symplicity lists a deadline. Some employers may review applications as they arrive and fill the position before the deadline, so we encourage applicants to apply early.

Please know Symplicity jobs are posted by outside employers and housed on our site.  Applicants should independently research employers and job opportunities listed in Symplicity since the CDO cannot guarantee the accuracy of the employers’ job postings. Similarly, approving a job posting does not represent an endorsement of the employer, the position, or the views or values held by that employer.

Vault - Firsthand - research and ranking tool for law firms across the country.

American Bar Association Job Board - sign up for a free student account and create job alerts.

Iowa State Bar Association Career Center - sign up for a free student account and create job alerts.

Corporate Counsel Women of Color Jobs and Internships plus you can post your resume.

Twin Cities Diversity in Practice – 1L Summer Law Clerk program in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN.

Check out other available jobs in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area - open to all students and practicing attorneys.

The Bankruptcy Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility Consortium - Explore careers in bankruptcy for all law students, including those from underrepresented communities, plus you can post your resume.

LinkedIn – allows you to search under “Jobs” as well as set up alerts for companies and locations.  Did you know you can search for alums to add to your network? Find an alum by clicking the “Search” bar and selecting “People” – use the filters to add the location and Drake University Law School. Learn more here.

LawMatch legal job search Sign up for one free month (repeatedly) or pay for the service.

Indeed allows you to search as well as set up alerts for companies and locations.

Solomon Legal Jobs Network Sign up to find in-house or non-traditional JD roles.

Federal Public Defender Offices job board

Iowa County Attorneys Association job board

Iowa State Public Defender job postings

Iowa State Public Defender Internships postings

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers  national job board

National Association for Public Defense national job board

National District Attorneys Association national prosecutor job board

National Association of Prosecutor Coordinators state-by-state job postings

United States Department of Justice offers hundreds of opportunities for summer internships and also post-graduate positions in federal government. Pay attention to the early deadlines!

• Honors Program for new graduates – applications open July 31 before 3L year
• Summer Law Intern Program – applications open July 31
• Department of Justice online job search
• Sign up for regular email alerts of DOJ job postings

Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG Corps) – summer and post-graduate employment within the armed forces.  Explore the hiring processes closely for each division – deadlines are often early and applications are sometimes reviewed by boards only at set periods throughout the year.

• Army JAG
• Marine JAG
• Navy JAG
• Air Force JAG
• Coast Guard JAG

White House Internship Program

United States Senate Internships

Defense Intelligence Agency offers summer internships.

U.S. Department of Agriculture offers internships and full-time attorney positions.

USAJobs.gov is a searchable job database for federal employment opportunities.

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) offers summer internships and post-graduate Honors Programs

Policorner offers non-partisan postings for politics, law, and public service jobs and internships.

Iowa Legislature Jobs Board includes recently-posted positions

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a self-regulatory organization with overisght from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to protect investors. There are school-year interns as well as summer internships.

Department of Education Office of General Counsel Legal Internship

Federal Aviation Administration Legal Internship Program

National Association of College and University Attorneys Career Center - find a variety of legal jobs and even some fellowships working in higher education.  Some may be JD preferred.

Department of Education Office of General Counsel Legal Internship

Higher Education Jobs search tool

JD Advantage jobs, also known as JD Alternative or JD Preferred jobs, are very popular for a variety of reasons. It could be personal – work-life balance, traditional lawyer roles don’t suit you or your lifestyle.  Or it could be professional – your goal is to become a CEO, an Athletic Director, a professor, or other non-licensed leadership role. Whatever the reason, JD Advantage careers can be very rewarding, financially lucrative, and provide you ample opportunities for growth.

 Drake Graduates

Each year, Drake graduates are finding success in JD Advantage careers with a variety of employers. Here are some examples from the last few years:

• Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, Paychex, Iowa Legislative Services Agency; 
• BlockFi, Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, Centene Corporation, Intoxalock, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives, Iowa National Heritage Foundation, Randstad USA, Sabal Dental, Sammons Financial Group, Seprio, Wells Fargo; 
• Bushman Organic Farms, Comforting Angels Home Care, Diamond Animal Health Inc., Iowa Dental Association, Iowa State Public Defender, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Musco Sports Lighting, Nebraska Legislature, University of Maryland
• Iowa Total Care, Lifecare Services, U.S. House of Representatives, Warner Music Group, U.S. Probation Office

The Job Search

The JD Advantage job search involves many of the same skills and steps as a traditional law job search: networking, researching, customizing your application materials, and highlighting your transferable skills. You may simply be looking in different places than traditional law firms and in-house legal offices, although even those may have JD Advantage jobs as well. Consider the wide variety of industries where you could add value – privacy and compliance, real estate, education, human resources, contracts, DEI, government, health care, law enforcement, sports.  You can find a more exhaustive list on the CDO Resource Where/What are JD Advantage Jobs?

What do we mean by transferable skills – you’re trained to be a lawyer, right?  In law school you have learned how to read analytically, write persuasively, and even advocate or engage in public speaking.  Those are not skills that all job candidates can claim.  Even beyond those skills, however, you may have learned that you are an active listener who can identify problems and propose solutions, that you are calm in a crisis, that you are skilled at finding consensus among a large group of varied opinions, or that you are adept at focusing in on key facts and details, not to mention your time management and organizational skills that helped you survive law school. Those skills, along with other desired soft skills such as emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication, will make you a strong candidate for a variety of jobs in any industry.  As the American Bar Association put it, “a common feature of these jobs is they are not industry-specific. Instead, they exist across a range of employer categories, including everything from Fortune 500 companies and institutions of higher education to small businesses and federal, state, and local governments.” You just need to start looking!

Let us help!

• Job exploration tips can be found on the CDO Resource Where/What are JD Advantage Jobs?, including career guides and career exploration videos from National Association of Law Placement and practical tips.
• Find recordings from past CDO panels on the Symplicity Resource Library.
• Find links to specific industry job boards on the CDO JD Advantage and Emerging Careers Resource Links
• For other search engines, it can be as simple as typing “JD Preferred” in any job search engine such as Indeed, Glassdoor, or LinkedIn.
• Use the American Bar Association online resources (membership required, free to students), starting with Thinking Creatively About JD Advantage Jobs.
• Try Solomon Legal Jobs Network, where you can sign up to find in-house or non-traditional JD roles.

You can practice anywhere with a Drake Law degree! In addition to the resources below, the CDO career counselors are available to help you develop an individualized plan for the market in which you’re interested. Drake Law School is a member of many organizations that offer online job search tools described below that you may use as a Drake student.  If prompted for a password you can access our Online Resources, Subscriptions, and Passwords.  If you have difficulty with the passwords, contact CDO for assistance.

Available Resources

• Review the CDO power point slides from the most recent Out of State Job Search workshop.
• Watch the short videos from Drake Law alums offering tips for out of state job searches, including cover letters (see “Job Search Process”).
• The Intercollegiate Job Bank lists graduate job bulletins from more than 110 law schools throughout the U.S. for recent graduates and alumni. Some jobs listed may be available to third-year students.
• Contact CDO to request reciprocity to gain access to other law schools’ resources including their job banks.
• For industry-specific job search tools, look at the other subject areas listed on the CDO Resources for Students – Jobs website for topics such as criminal law, government, sports, public interest, and JD Advantage (non-licensed) jobs.
• Use online search engines – these are most beneficial for post-graduate jobs for 3Ls and graduates but may include internships or clerkships.
• Utilize LinkedIn to search for jobs, use filters to target geographic areas, and set up job alerts. Be sure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date should you apply online. Watch this video on how law students should use LinkedIn.
• Indeed is another tool that is especially helpful for post-graduate jobs, be sure to set up job alerts.
• Connect with Drake Law alums in the geographic area of interest through LinkedIn – use the “People” filters to target by location and Drake Law School to get a list.  Again watch this video on how law students should use LinkedIn to connect with alums. CDO may also be able to offer names of alums as well.
• Judicial Clerkships at the local level are a valuable way to start your career in a new area and help you network as well. Find information about state and local judicial clerkships on the Judicial Clerkship website.
• State and local bar associations, including young lawyers associations, often maintain a job bank. Join the local bar association or affinity bar associations and attend section meetings.
• Look  into local career conferences or jobs fairs.  Drake has a list of career fairs in which our students have participated.
• The NALP Directory of Legal Employers allows you to search legal employers by geographic area, similar to Martindale Hubbell.
• Business Journals and Book of Lists, which are available in most major cities throughout the U.S.,  can provide valuable information about the local market and provide business profiles. Many also have online job banks.
• Join the alumni association of your undergraduate institution to expand your network.
• If you are in the area, seek out pro bono opportunities through volunteer legal service groups.
• Temp agencies are a great way to land in a new area as well.

What should my job search plan look like?

Once you have done your research, you are ready to apply. Be sure your cover letter is tailored to each potential employer. Let the employer know if you plan to be in their city in the near future and your plans for following up; e.g., “I plan to be in Seattle for a networking trip the week of June 5 and will contact you in advance to discuss the possibility of meeting with you during that time.”

Talk to your references and network about your job search to assess whether anyone knows someone who might be able to help and is willing to reach out to their network on your behalf. If you have previously made contact with alumni working for an employer of interest, be sure to send a copy of your application materials to the alum with a quick note that you would appreciate the opportunity to stop by and say hello while you are in town. Similarly, if you know someone known to the employer and you have received permission to use their name as a contact, include that in your cover letter. Plan to follow up by email within two weeks of reaching out to an employer if you haven’t heard back.

Prepare for your interview and schedule a mock interview with the CDO career counselors. If you are not in Des Moines, we can conduct mock interviews by phone or Zoom.

Keep an accurate account of the employers you contact. Try Jobwell to track your activity or Teal to tag postings that interest you!

What are the challenges to an out-of-state job search?

Applying for jobs in markets where you have no obvious ties is risky to some employers. From an employer’s perspective, turnover is expensive. Include in your cover letter the ties that you have to the city (if they are not obvious from your resume), and if you have no ties, explain why you are interested in that market. For example, if you are drawn to an area for a particular practice area, explain that in your cover letter. To the extent you have interests or plan to take a bar exam in a particular location, you can also include that information in your resume. The goal is to create a document that reflects your sincere interest in the region and organization you wish to join.

You will want to demonstrate that you have knowledge of the markets to which you apply. Read local business journals and legal publications. Join local bar associations. Conduct informational interviews with alumni in the region.

Public Interest and Social Justice Opportunities

Drake Law School Public Interest Opportunities and Funding. You can find many public interest opportunities on Symplicity throughout the year, including some with funding through Drake or other sources. 

Drake is also a member of many organizations that offer online job search tools that you may use as a Drake student.  If prompted for a password you can access our Online Resources, Subscriptions, and Passwords.  If you have difficulty with the passwords, contact CDO for assistance.

• Equal Justice Works helps law students identify public service internships and fellowships.
• Career Education Institutes - Legal Internships search includes a variety of internships available including Women’s Rights, Sports, International Affairs, and Congressional to name just a few. Click “Internships for Law Students.” 
• PSJD Public Interest Opportunities - identifies public interest jobs, internships, and fellowships and if applicable, how to fund them.
• Idealist Organization offers a job search tool for non-profit opportunities.
• PublicServiceCareeers.org is the most authoritative and widely used website for finding jobs, career advice, and information on degrees in public service and public affairs. 

There are other public interest opportunities emerging all the time but may not show up on Symplicity.  Take a look at these opportunities for example - don't see something you like? Come see us in CDO!

• Lambda Legal
• Lavender Legal Center (Iowa)
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• National Women's Law Center
• Peggy Browning Fund Summer Fellowship 
• Sesame Street Workshop
• Sierra Club

For law firm clerkships, search for firms that do Sports or Entertainment law or both. Sports management agencies may also have internship opportunities. Professional leagues and amateur associations regularly offer internship programs, including:

• Athletics Compliance Internships through Drake or Iowa State University
• Major League Baseball
• Major League Soccer – click “internships” or “legal” on the drop down menu
• National Collegiate Athletic Association
• National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
• National Football League
• United States Tennis Association
• Team USA Intern Program
• US Olympic and Paralympics Committee Jobs Site
• US Track and Field Internships

Oregon Summer Sports Law Institute - take sports law courses through University of Oregon

Sports and Entertainment Jobs Search Sites

• NCAA Market - careers and internships in college athletics
• EntertainmentCareers.net - an online tool for jobs and internships in sports and entertainment.
• Sports Lawyers Association – jobs board with student membership fee.
• Career Education Institutes Legal Internships search allows you to search for sports jobs. Contact CDO for log in information.
• WorkinSports.com – free search engine for sports jobs and internships.
• JobsinSports.com – free search engine for sports jobs and internships.
• Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyer Association includes job postings.