Reciprocity

SMU Dedman School of Law Reciprocity Policy

The Office of Career Services at SMU Dedman School of Law allows services to third year law students and graduates of other ABA-accredited law schools that grant reciprocal services to SMU Dedman School of Law students and graduates.

• To establish reciprocity with the SMU Dedman School of Law, contact the career services office of your law school and ask their office to send your request for reciprocity by email, fax or mail to our office at least two weeks prior to your visit to our campus. Walk-in requests will not be granted. Direct inquiries to the following:
  • Email: lawcareer@smu.edu
  • Fax: 214-768-4390
  • SMU Dedman School of Law
    Office of Career Services
    P.O. Box 750112
    Dallas, TX 75275-0112
• Reciprocity is granted for three months, effective from the date of correspondence from our office approving your request.
• Reciprocity is not available from August 1st through December 1st and from February 1st to March 1st.
• We request you bring your student identification or drivers license and check-in with our staff upon arrival during our regular business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. There is no need to call ahead of your visit.
• Reciprocity grants 3L students and graduates access to current job postings, handouts, career-search related books, directories and computers all of which are available in the Resource Center of the Office of Career Services.
• Reciprocity does not include career counseling, resume review, referrals, job fairs or on-campus interviewing.
• We reserve the right to adjust reciprocity requirements if the requesting school has a more restrictive policy.
• This policy will be reviewed periodically to keep pace with employment demands of the legal community and, in certain instances, reciprocity may be refused due to lack of mutual interest by our students and alumni. If an imbalance occurs, we may implement a temporary freeze until a balance is achieved.
• Non-SMU law students or graduates may subscribe to our graduate job bulletin, The Mustang, at a rate of $25.00 for six months. Mail a check payable to “SMU Law Career Services” to the address listed above.

SMU Dedman Law Students Wishing to Request Reciprocity from Another ABA–Accredited Law School

• If you are a law student or graduate, the Office of Career Services will request reciprocity on your behalf to any ABA-accredited law school. Before making your request, please read the reciprocity policies of the NALP member law schools, as each school has its own reciprocity policy.
• Send an email with your request to lawcareer@smu.edu. You may request up to three schools. A number of schools located in major metropolitan areas, such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, will honor a request to only one law school in their area. South Texas College of Law, University of Houston Law Center and Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, for example, will honor a request to only one of these schools in the Houston area. Also, Arizona law schools generally will not grant reciprocity due to the high volume of requests that they receive. If reciprocity is granted, students/alumni should be sure to honor the reciprocity policy of the host school(s).