EmploymentPolicies

The following Drake Law School policies are aimed at student success.

Employers: See Employer Policies & Procedures.

Student Employment Information

• First-year students attending law school full-time are encouraged not to seek employment during the first year of law school. This allows students to become academically established and adjust to the rigors of law school prior to adding additional commitments. In addition, the first year schedule is generally such that it is difficult to find blocks of time to work during the typical work day.
• For any full-time student who opts to work during the academic year, it is recommended that the hours worked not exceed 20 hours per week.
• If you are an international degree-seeking student here on an academic visa, contact the CDO to discuss requirements for off-campus employment.

Student Practice Rule

Students who are interested in clinic, prosecutorial internships, or any other experiential opportunity that qualifies for student practice are responsible for ensuring they are in compliance with the relevant Student Practice Rules (Drake Law School Student Handbook, Rule 5.4).

The handbook provides the relevant rules for the local state and federal courts; however, students need to ensure that they meet the requirements for the jurisdiction in which they will be serving.

Reciprocity Policy

The Career Development Office provides reciprocal services between Drake Law School and other ABA accredited law schools so that students and alumni may search other job databases. Please view our 2025 Statement of Reciprocity for additional information. Requests for reciprocity through Drake Law School should be made by email to Lyra Halsten, Program Coordinator by the student's career services offices. Requests may not be made directly by the student. 

Current Drake Law students who wish to receive reciprocity from another school should email Lyra Halsten with the names of the schools they wish to request it from. Please note that most schools restrict reciprocity during recruiting sessions and often limit access to one school per area. They may also have limits on the number of students who can be granted reciprocity per school. 

For Student Information, employers are expected to abide by the following Drake Law School policies:

1. Services of the Drake Law School Career Development Office are available only to employers whose employment practices are consistent with our policies. By their participation, employers agree that their employment practices do not violate Drake Law School’s policies.

2. If it is determined that an employer’s practices violate Drake Law School’s policies, we will not authorize the use of Drake’s Career Development Office by such employer or access may be rescinded.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The principles of equal access and equal opportunity require that all interactions within the University be free from invidious discrimination. Drake University therefore prohibits discrimination based upon race, color, national origin, creed, religion, age, disability, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or any characteristic protected by law in its educational programs and activities, admissions, or employment.

Sexual Harassment Policy

Sexual harassment of students from Drake Law School under your employment is strictly prohibited.

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, or other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct aimed at another because of sex when:

• Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for an employment decision affecting an individual
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or educational performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for work or learning.

These definitions are intended to be in accordance with federal and state law.

20-Hour Work Week Guidelines

Drake Law encourages students not to engage in employment for more that 20 hours per week in any semester in which the student is enrolled full-time.

Posting Unpaid Positions

Unpaid internships may be posted by government or not-for-profit organizations. However, we do not post positions for law firms or for-profit companies that are unpaid, except in very limited circumstances, due to Department of Labor regulations.