Your professional development is our primary concern. The Professional and Career Development Center provides services to empower, prepare and assist our law students and alumni as they pursue their career goals. We work with a variety of employers who recruit UMKC Law students and alumni. You are encouraged to contact the Career Center for personalized and detailed information.
The Career Center uses CONNECT, a web-based tool, to provide instant access to a resource library, job board, on-campus recruiting, requesting an advising appointment and other services. The resource library on CONNECT acts as an online handbook of tools that will address many common job search needs, including information on:
We host a 1L Career Center orientation each October to introduce students to our staff and career resources, including CONNECT.
Beyond the orientation, we encourage students to meet with a career advisor to develop individualized short-term and long-term job search strategies. You can also stay connected by attending our programming and seeking one-on-one career advising.
Once you've worked with the Career Center to develop your career goals and search strategies, it is important to get involved with the legal and business communities. Connecting early and often with other professionals is a vital component of your career and professional development.
Around 50 percent of our graduates indicate initial contact with their post-graduate employers came from referrals and/or self-initiation, so the importance of networking cannot be overstated. The Career Center hosts many opportunities for students to network with and learn from traditional and nontraditional legal professionals both on and off campus.
Contact the Career Center for networking opportunities at 816-235-1668 or umkclawcareer@umkc.edu.
The Winter Judicial Internship Program offers first-year law students (1Ls) a unique opportunity to gain practical legal experience during their Winter Break by working closely with judges at various court levels. Over a one- or two-week period, students have the opportunity to conduct legal research, draft memos or briefs, and observe, analyze, and discuss civil and criminal proceedings.
Participants can choose to be paired with a judge in the Kansas City area or request placement in a rural community. Rural placements allow students to connect with regions most in need of legal assistance, fostering an understanding of and appreciation for the unique challenges faced by these communities while strengthening their ties to these areas.
This program provides an invaluable experience for students to build professional skills, develop mentorship relationships with judges, and deepen their understanding of the judicial process.
UMKC School of Law is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions of the American Bar Association, 321, North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.
