Recruiting Policies

Non-Discrimination

All employers and their representatives engaging in recruitment activities with our students are expected to comply with our Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct.

Recruiting Policies

Northwestern Pritzker Law, our students, and all employers recruiting Northwestern Pritzker Law students shall adhere to the NALP Principles for a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Process. In addition, all parties shall follow the additional policies set forth below.

Index

Interviewing ›
Reasonable and Respectful Behavior ›
Our Partnership ›
Recruitment for First-Year Jobs ›
Recruitment fpr Second-Year Jobs ›
Recruitment of Third-Year Law Students ›
For Students ›

General Policies

Interviewing

During the Academic Year

  • Interview Blackout Dates: No interviews are permitted during the period of time between the end of classes and the end of the exam period. Please review our Academic Calendar for specific dates.
  • Interview Times: Students are not allowed to miss classes for job interviews. Please work with students to schedule interviewing times that do not disrupt their ability to attend and prepare for classes.
  • Timing: We strongly encourage employers to delay all 2L summer job recruitment efforts until after the end of the first semester of law school in order to allow students to acclimate to law school, explore career pathways, and learn about legal employer options.

During the Summer

  • Interview Times: Employers should afford students the opportunity to conduct interviews outside of the student’s summer employment workday and honor such requests.
  • Format Options: Similarly, some students may not be able to take time off of work to travel for interviews and should be offered a video interview option.

Reasonable and Respectful Behavior

We ask that all employers approach the recruitment process with reasonableness and respect for student choice and well-being. To that end, it is not reasonable to:

  • Interview Times: Deny a student’s request for interview time flexibility in order to avoid conflicting with the student’s class, work, or personal obligations.
  • Fairness: Deny to a 1L Northwestern Pritzker Law student in an employer’s summer associate program the opportunity to interview with other employers for 2L summer associate positions.  This is particularly true when said student’s summer employer is actively interviewing students who are or will be working in another employer’s 1L summer associate program.
  • Offer Consideration Period: Provide less than 14 days for a student to decide to accept or decline an offer of summer employment.
  • Undue Pressure: Require a student to accept or decline a diversity (or other) scholarship or fellowship on a shorter timeline than their general summer employment offer consideration timeline. So doing places undue pressure on the same population that the scholarship/fellowship alleges to uplift.
  • Unequal Treatment: Provide a period of offer consideration to our students that is less favorable than provided to students at other law schools, or provide a less favorable offer consideration period to one of our students in comparison to their classmates.

Our Partnership

The recruitment process is a three-way partnership between the employer, the student, and Northwestern Pritzker Law. We understand that there may be times when an employer opts to not adhere to our policies. In those instances the partnership dynamic changes and the employer forfeits the expectation that Northwestern Pritzker Law will hold students accountable for any failure on their part to follow these policies/terms of this partnership, too. 

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Recruitment for First-Year Jobs

The first semester of law school is a very important time in a student’s academic and legal career.  Accordingly, we ask that our employer-partners act respectfully and reasonably regarding the timing and manner in which they recruit first-year law students, allowing students to focus on their studies rather than their job search and related activities. 

  • Start Date: Employers and law students should not engage in formal one-on-one recruitment activities (g., applications, interviews, offers) prior to November 1.
  • Offer Consideration Period: All offers for first-year summer employment should be left open for a minimum of 14 days from the date the offer was made.
  • Extensions: We ask employers to grant, upon written request, deadline extensions of at least seven (7) days, provided that the student has remained engaged with the employer during the original offer period.
  • Networking Events: We additionally ask that employers not host first-year law student networking events prior to September 15. 

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Recruitment for Second-Year Jobs

The desired outcome of all recruiting activities is a successful match between law student and employer.  We strive for a thoughtful process resulting in rewarding employment relationships that extend well beyond a summer job. A rushed process in which applicants are forced to make decisions with limited information and under pressure-laden timelines increases the likelihood of short-term arrangements resulting in students or junior associates quickly re-entering the marketplace. 

We encourage employers and students to be measured and considerate throughout the recruitment process. We also ask that employers respect each student’s right to explore options before making such an important employment decision. 

For Employers 

Offers for 2L Summer Employment

  • Format: All offers of summer employment should be made in writing with all timelines and terms and conditions of employment clearly expressed.
  • Exploding Offers: Timelines should not be variable based on whether other outstanding offers are accepted prior to the candidate’s acceptance. 

Offers

  • Offer Consideration Period:
    • On or Prior to the Release of First Semester 1L Grades: Offers for 2L summer employment extended prior to the release of first semester 1L grades should be held upon until at least February 1.
    • After the Release of First Semester 1L Grades: Offers extended after the release of first semester 1L grades should be held open at minimum for the latter of (a) 14 days from the date of the offer letter, or (b) February 1.
    • Offers Extended After February 1: Offers extended after February 1 should be held open for a minimum of 14 days from the date of the offer letter.
  • Extensions: We ask employers to grant, upon written request, deadline extensions of at least seven (7) days, provided that the student has remained engaged with the employer during the original offer period.
  • Public Interest Extension: Candidates may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until as late as April 1 of their 2L year if the candidate is actively pursuing positions with public interest or government organizations. Candidates may hold open only one offer in such circumstances. Employers are encouraged to grant such requests.
  • 2L Summer Offer Limit: Students may not hold open more than three (3) offers at any given time.

For Students

These policies pertain to Private Sector recruiting.  For Public Sector recruiting, click here.

General Expectations

  • Interviewing: Absent the impacted faculty member’s approval, students are not allowed to miss classes for job interviews.  If an employer is requiring you to miss class for an interview, please contact your Career Adviser to explore options.
  • Responses: Students are expected to respond to all employer outreach in a timely manner. Ghosting is neither professional nor an option.

Offers for Summer Employment

  • Whenever you receive an offer, be sure to let your Career Adviser know so you can work together on next steps.
  • Offer Consideration Period: 1L Summer
    • Employers are asked to provide to you at least 14 days from the date of the offer letter so you can make a decision to accept or decline the offer.
    • If you receive an offer that is for less than 14 days, please speaker with your relevant adviser in the Career Strategy Center or Public Interest Center.
  • Offer Consideration Period: 2L Summer
    • On or Prior to the Release of First Semester 1L Grades: Offers for 2L summer employment extended prior to the release of first semester 1L grades should be held upon until at least February 1.
    • After the Release of First Semester 1L Grades: Offers extended after the release of first semester 1L grades should be held open at a minimum for the latter of (a) 14 days from the date of the offer letter, or (b) February 1.
    • Offers Extended After February 1: Offers extended after February 1 should be held open for a minimum of 14 days from the date of the offer letter.
  • Timeliness:
    • Students are expected to accept or decline all offers of employment within the employer’s stated timeline. Failure to respond within the stated timeline will result in the termination of the offer.
    • If a student receives an offer for summer employment and based upon other offers they have already received knows they will not accept that offer, they should quickly decline said offer.
  • Extensions: A student seeking to extend the offer consideration period must:
    • Make the request in writing to the firm’s recruiting manager or other designated contact, copying their Career Adviser; and
    • Remain engaged with the employer during the original offer period, as well as the extension period.
  • Public Interest Extension:
    • If you receive a private sector offer but are truly interested in public sector options, you may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until as late as April 1 of your 2L year.  In such an instance, you may only hold open one private sector offer.
    • Before making such a request, you must speak with your Career Advisers in the Career Strategy Center and Public Interest Center.
  • 2L Summer Offer Limit
    • Students may not hold open more than three (3) offers at any given time.
    • Recognizing that a student cannot control when offers come in, once the total number of offers exceeds the allotted number, a student has three (3) business days to release offers so that they are again within the allotted number of open offers.
  • Reneging: After having accepted an offer of employment (written or verbal) you may not interview for or accept conflicting or mutually exclusive offers of employment.
    • Once you have accepted a job offer, you should (a) report your acceptance to your Career Adviser; (b) cease interviewing; and (c) contact employers with whom you have already met to withdraw your name from consideration.
    • If you have concerns about accepting an offer, speak with your Career Adviser before accepting so options can be explored.
    • If you have accepted an offer and due to a change of circumstances are considering reneging (backing out), speak with your Career Adviser before taking any additional steps.
    • Please consult our full “Job Offers & Acceptances Policy” in Career Space in the “Policies” section for additional information and considerations on this topic. 

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Recruitment of Third-Year Law Students

Offers to Candidates not previously Employed by the Employer

  • Offer Consideration Period: Offers for full-time positions to commence following graduation made to candidates not previously employed by the employer should be left open for the latter of (a) a minimum of 21 days following the date of the offer letter, or (b) a minimum of 21 days from the end of Northwestern Pritzker Law’s OCI.
  • Extensions: Prior to an offer’s expiration, a student may request an extension to decide on the offer. The request should be made in writing to the employer’s designated recruiting contact. The employer should not unreasonably deny the granting of an extension.
  • Reaffirmation: If requested in the offer letter, students should reaffirm their interest in the offer within 14 days of the date of the offer letter. If an employer affirmatively requests such a reaffirmation and a student fails to reaffirm, decline or extend an offer within the 14-day period, the employer may retract the offer. 

Offers to Candidates previously Employed by the Employer

  • Offer Period: Offers for full-time positions to commence following graduation made to candidates previously employed by the employer should be left open until at least October 1 of the candidate’s final year of law school, provided that such offers are made prior to or on September 15. After September 15 of a candidate's final year of law school, employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 21 days following the date of the offer letter.
  • Reaffirmation: If requested in the offer letter, students should reaffirm their interest in the offer within 21 days of the offer letter’s date. If an employer affirmatively requests such a reaffirmation and a student fails to reaffirm, decline or extend an offer within the 21-day period, the employer may retract the offer.
  • Public Interest Extension: Candidates may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until as late as April 1 if the candidate is actively pursuing positions with public interest or government organizations. Candidates may hold open only one offer in such circumstances. Employers are encouraged to grant such requests.

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