Updated as of 8/14/25
UC Berkeley Law appreciates your continued interest in recruiting our talented students. The below policies were drafted to ensure a professional and fair recruiting process that does not disadvantage qualified candidates who appear less obviously credentialed or are less well-networked as their peers.
Our facilities and support are available only to employers whose practices are consistent with our recruiting policies as well as those promulgated by the National Association of Law Placement.
RECRUITING STUDENTS IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL
EMPLOYER EVENTS
Employers are encouraged to contact the Career Development Office when considering hosting an event or program (including those with student organizations) to help minimize conflicts with, or duplications of, other programs. The Career Development Office does not co-sponsor or facilitate events with single law firms and encourages employers to participate in its networking events involving multiple employers.
For UC Berkeley Law 1L students to be as successful as possible, the school believes their focus should be on their studies rather than on job search activities. Career-related events, particularly in the first semester, should be focused on the general characteristics of the legal profession. Employers may not request resumes or other application materials in connection with any employer events before November 1.
In the spring semester, employers should not ask for transcripts from students as a condition of attending employer events. Recognizing that employers have automated processes requesting transcript information, students are advised to politely decline automated requests for transcripts, other than when applying to a job.
JOB POSTINGS FOR 1LS
While the legal market is ever-changing,the vast majority of 1Ls still interview and accept 1L summer job offers in the spring semester. We believe this is the best practice because it allows 1Ls to focus on adjusting to law school and the rigor of the law school curriculum in their first semester.
To the extent possible, we encourage employers with earlier 1L hiring timelines to delay the beginning of their application review process to the period after final exams to allow 1Ls to focus all of their time and energy on reaching their full academic potential on their first set of law school exams. If your summer internship hiring model allows for spring semester interviewing, we encourage this approach.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews should not be scheduled at times that conflict with students’ class schedules or any other times that may disrupt students’ studies. In no case, should interviews occur during the Reading or Exam Period (see our Academic Calendar for details).
OFFERS
All offers to first year students for summer employment should remain open for at least 14 days after the date the offer was made.
Extensions: Before an offer expires, a student may request that an offer be extended for a reasonable period, and such requests will not be unreasonably withheld.
RECRUITING STUDENTS FOR 2L/3L SUMMER POSITIONS
UC Berkeley Law continues to have concerns about recruiting 1L students during their 1L spring semester and summer for 2L summer jobs — in particular, the possibility of producing an unfair process that disadvantages qualified candidates who happen to be less obviously credentialed or as well-networked as their peers. However, recognizing current market realities, UC Berkeley Law will offer organized 2L summer recruitment programs.
Employers should explore and affirmatively offer interview times and formats to minimize students’ travel time and expense as well as potential disruption to their studies or their first-year summer employment experience. Interviews should not be scheduled at times that conflict with students’ class schedules, summer jobs, or any other times that may disrupt students’ studies. In no case should interviews occur during the Reading or Exam Period (see our Academic Calendar for details).
OFFER TIMING
Law firm employers should leave offers open based on the following timeline:
Offers should remain open for at least 14 days.
Offers to current 1L summer associates to return for a second summer should also be left open for at least 14 days and should not expire before the student has had an opportunity to begin their 1L summer position at the firm.
Extensions: Before an offer expires, a student may request that an offer be extended for a reasonable period, and such requests will not be unreasonably withheld.
POST-GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT OFFERS
STUDENTS PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED BY OFFEROR
Employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 14 days following the date of the offer letter or October 1 of the student’s final year of law school, whichever is later.
STUDENTS NOT PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED BY OFFEROR
Employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to students not previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 14 days following the date of the offer letter.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PUBLIC INTEREST OR GOVERNMENT JOB SEEKERS
UC Berkeley Law students may request that one private sector employer (from whom they have an offer) extend the deadline to accept that offer until as late as April 1, provided that the student is actively pursuing alternative positions exclusively with public interest or government organizations. Employers are generally expected to grant such requests.
EXPLODING OFFERS AND SIGNING BONUSES PROHIBITED
UC Berkeley Law expects that employers participating in our recruitment activities will not apply undue pressure on our students to accept their offers. They are also expected not to offer special inducements to accept offers earlier than is customary or prescribed under the circumstances.
OTHER EMPLOYER GUIDELINES
Employment offers to students should be in writing.
Any offer that does not fall within the above policy proscriptions should, nevertheless, remain open for at least 14 days after the date of the written offer.
Government, non-profit, and public interest organizations, as well as firms having a total of 40 or fewer attorneys in all offices are exempt from the above Policies. Offers should remain open for at least 14 days following the date of the offer letter.
OTHER STUDENT GUIDELINES
Students are expected to accept or decline offers or request an extension by the applicable deadline. Offers that are not accepted by the offer deadline may expire.
A student should not hold open more than three offers of employment at any one time. For each offer received that places a student over the offer limit, the student should, within one week of receipt of the excess offer, release an offer. Students should consult with a UC Berkeley Law career counselor upon receiving more than one offer to assist them in effectively navigating the offer/acceptance process.