Graduate & International Programs Career Services
USC Gould School of Law

Based on your individual goals and degree, our Career Advisors offer tailored advice and support to help you in your job search.

• LLM Students with an LLB
• LLM Students with a JD
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Students
• G&IP Alumni
• Employers

LLM Students with an LLB

The Graduate and International Programs office is available to help you develop your individual job search strategies. We offer three career advisors who are dedicated to helping students and alumni with their career development by providing personalized advice and review of resumes, cover letters and applications.

Throughout the academic year, we will host several career workshops to cover the basics of the job search process in the U.S. We organize career panels with alumni and industry leaders so you can learn more about possible career pathways. If you hold a first degree in law from outside of the U.S., you can participate in two LLM-exclusive job fairs in New York and Los Angeles during the year. These career fairs provide foreign-trained students from top law schools with the opportunity to interview with prospective employers from the U.S. and abroad.

You also will be able to attend USC Gould Continuing Legal Education conferences, at which you can make valuable connections with law professionals, USC Gould alumni and peers.

While the majority of our students choose to return to their home countries after graduation, some students seek to expand their experiences in the United States after completing their programs by looking for short-term "practical training" positions. Please note that the market for foreign-trained attorneys in the U.S. is very limited, and only a very small percentage of foreign-trained graduates from all U.S. law schools find work here. Students' citizenship or residency status can be an additional barrier to employment. Additionally, because the legal market can be very competitive, the students who are successful in obtaining employment in the U.S. typically have earned excellent grades in their graduate studies and have also passed a U.S. bar exam.

To assist you, we offer academic support resources throughout the year, bar exam preparation and help with applications, and we work with the Office of International Services to address issues regarding Optional Practical Training.

LLM Students with a JD

The Graduate and International Programs office is available to help you develop your individual job search strategies. We offer three career advisors who are dedicated to helping students and alumni with their career development by providing personalized advice and review of resumes, cover letters and applications.

Throughout the academic year, we will host several career workshops to cover the basics of the job search process in the U.S. We organize career panels with alumni and industry leaders so you can learn more about possible career pathways. If you hold a first degree in law from outside of the U.S., you can participate in two LLM-exclusive job fairs in New York and Los Angeles during the year. These career fairs provide foreign-trained students from top law schools with the opportunity to interview with prospective employers from the U.S. and abroad.

You also will be able to attend USC Gould Continuing Legal Education conferences, at which you can make valuable connections with law professionals, USC Gould alumni and peers.

If you are interested in enrolling in a specialized LLM, you should be clear about how this degree will add value to your professional development. Because of the breadth of jobs where this specialized degree may be applicable, and because your specific path will depend on your experience and interest, we cannot provide a comprehensive list of relevant jobs. Additionally, the range of positions for which you are qualified will depend on your educational background and prior legal experience.

Please note that you will not be eligible to participate in any events that are specific to USC Gould's current JD students, such as OCI.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Students

The Graduate and International Programs office is available to help you develop your individual job search strategies. A career advisor is dedicated to helping ADR students and alumni with their career development by providing personalized advice and review of resumes, cover letters and applications.

Throughout the academic year, we will host several career workshops to cover the basics of the job search process in the U.S. We organize career panels with alumni and industry leaders so you can learn more about possible career pathways. If you hold a first degree in law from outside of the U.S., you can participate in two LLM-exclusive job fairs in New York and Los Angeles during the year.

You also will be able to attend USC Gould Continuing Legal Education conferences at which you can make valuable connections with law professionals, USC Gould alumni and peers.

Learn more about the ADR pathways available to you:

• LLM in ADR
• MDR

G&IP Alumni

The Graduate and International Programs office is available to help you develop your individual job search strategies. We offer three career advisors who are dedicated to helping students and alumni with their career development by providing personalized advice and review of resumes, cover letters and applications.

Alumni can contact us at gipcareers@law.usc.edu with questions or to schedule an appointment.

Employers

Our Services

Our office is happy to work with employers and recruiters to fill your hiring needs. You can:

• Send us a job description, which we can advertise to a specific group of students
• Request a resume collect
• Post your job on Symplicity
• Connect with students for an externship or volunteer opportunity

Contact us at gipcareers@law.usc.edu or post your job opening to Symplicity using these instructions.

Why hire our students?

Our students come from a range of backgrounds and can offer the skills, experience, and cultural competency that may be helpful to your firm or company.

• Internationally educated law graduates and attorneys - these students have a first degree in law from outside of the U.S. and may offer language fluency, cultural competency, and an international network as assets. Many also have also passed the bar exam in their home country, and some have extensive work experience.


• Domestically educated law graduates and attorneys - these students have earned a JD in the U.S. and have refined their skillset with a specialized LLM. Many are practicing attorneys with several years of legal experience.


• ADR graduates - these students hold a bachelor's in a field other than law and have deepened their knowledge of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration through our ADR programs. The majority of these students have significant work experience in their industry.

Working with our students

• Volunteer positions - If you are a non-profit or government organization, or you are seeking assistance on a pro bono project, please contact us if you have opportunities for students to assist you.


• Externships - If you can supervise students continuously over a semester, students may be able to earn academic credit for their work at your organization, please contact us for more information.


• Post-graduation - If you have a post-graduation position that is either short-term or permanent, please contact us. Many of our students on F-1 visas are eligible to work for up to one year following graduation with no employer sponsorship needed using Optional Practical Training.

Employer feedback

"[The student] was an excellent addition to our office. I was able to give her several important research assignments concerning foreign law and international treaty obligations that other associates in my office would not have been able to perform as well as she did. She also demonstrated a strategic and thoughtful approach to litigation and client management." - Partner at an AmLaw 100 firm

"[The student] consistently displayed a very positive attitude and showed initiative. His interpersonal skills and follow up on assignments were excellent. It was a pleasure to have him at our firm as an extern." - Partner at a Top Entertainment Firm

"Our experience working with a USC Gould ADR student in both our legal and compliance teams has been extraordinary. The intern demonstrated sound legal skills, and had a strong willingness to learn and apply his knowledge. His enthusiasm and preparedness went miles above what we anticipated. He consistently demonstrated a great degree of professionalism, competency in the workplace and passion in acquiring new skills." - Associate General Counsel of a Major U.S. Retailer

"I supervised [the student] at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office cyber crime division. During her externship with us, she researched and drafted several motions concerning the Fourth Amendment and digital technology. Her written work product demonstrated her ability to communicate complex legal arguments coupled with explanations of the cyber technology with clarity to trier of fact. A Judge, from the bench, complimented her for such a well-articulated and argued motion. All of us in the office enjoyed her enthusiasm." - Attorney in the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office

RECENT NEWS