Class of 2011 Employment Data

In 2010, the University of Chicago Law School renewed its commitment to training leaders in government and public interest law with the launch of its new Public Service Program. This initiative includes a greatly expanded summer funding program that provides each 1L and 2L student guaranteed funding for the summer, enhanced mentoring, a revamped and generous loan forgiveness program, and the inauguration of the "pro bono pledge." Some of these initiatives are described in more detail in the Spring 2012 issue of our alumni magazine, The Record.

Because of the current economic problems facing governments at all levels as well as the nonprofit sector, hiring in these areas is depressed. For the Class of 2011, the Law School raised funds to support 23 students in one year jobs working for a variety of governmental and nonprofit employers. An additional student won a competitive fellowship to work in the University’s Office of General Counsel. As part of our upcoming capital campaign we are hoping to endow a set of fellowships that will create a permanent springboard to launch our students’ careers.

Please note: Employment and salary information is taken from a variety of sources, including: student self-reporting, alumni surveys, employer information, published salary data, and electronic resources.

Employment categories and geographic distinctions follow the NALP definitions found at http://www.nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/2012GraduateSurvey_and_FAQs_Dec2012.pdf (beginning at page 3 of the FAQs) and http://www.nalp.org/assets/935_erssregions.pdf, respectively.

In the few instances where there is a definitional difference regarding employment type, the above numbers reflect the NALP definitions. For example, NALP counts employment at a public interest law firm as Law Firm employment, whereas the ABA treats it as Public Interest employment.