Plan Your Co-ops

The premise of the Co-op Program is that legal training gained through supervised work experiences that are integrated with academic course work produces attorneys exceptionally well prepared to practice law.

The co-op hiring process takes place approximately 10 weeks before the start of any given quarter. Quarters generally follow the seasons, and students are available to work every quarter because the law school operates year-round. As part of the overall co-op process, employers are sent the resumes of students who have indicated an interest in working for them. Employers select those students they wish to interview, contact them through the Office of Cooperative Legal Education, and then hire by mutual agreement.

Employers determine student compensation. Salaries range widely, from volunteer positions to more than $3,000 per week for large private US law firms. In some instances, funding may be available for government and nonprofit employers through the federal Work-Study program. Students accepting volunteer public interest positions also may apply for stipends through the law school.

At the conclusion of a co-op, employers are required to evaluate the performance of their co-op interns. These performance evaluations become part of each student's permanent academic record. Likewise, students are required to submit evaluations of their co-op experiences. These "Quality Questionnaires" focus on a variety of workplace issues and are included in the employer files, which students utilize when they make their co-op selections.

Academic/Co-op Work Quarter Sequence