"After 30 years spent in courtrooms in Texas, ... I am comfortable that SMU's emphasis on how to think as opposed to what to think has been instrumental in procuring justice for a number of deserving clients."
- Frank Branson '69, '74
Partner, Law Offices of Frank L. Branson, PC
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Prospective Students

In the Office of Career Services (OCS) at SMU’s Dedman School of Law, our goal is to provide our students with the opportunities and information they need to begin successful legal careers, as well as to help our alumni further the ones they have already begun.  We also work with employers to help them fill their hiring needs with Dedman School of Law students and graduates.

Students begin working with the OCS as early as November of their first year, benefiting from the wide range of career counseling and career development services we make available.  These include one-on-one counseling and coaching, resume-building and job search workshops, mock interviews, and seminars and speakers on relevant legal topics, all of which help prepare Dedman School of Law students and graduates to become some of the most competitive job candidates in the country.  In order to expose students to career opportunities, we offer on- and off-campus interview programs and job fairs, allowing our students to start building a network of contacts early in their law careers.  Students also have access to our extensive library of career-building resources.  We do not stop working for our students after graduation, either.  SMU Law alumni receive the lifetime benefit of our services, including job search resources and access to job postings.

To better serve our students, we work closely with a wide range of legal employers – large and small firms, government agencies, corporations and businesses, public interest and non-profit agencies -- making it easier for them to fill positions at all levels.  We inform employers of the most recent trends and developments in legal hiring and provide them numerous opportunities to interact with our students during the school year, giving them access to a large pool of highly qualified, potential job candidates.

Having worked for major metropolitan law firms and corporations, both in the Dallas area and elsewhere, SMU Dedman School of Law OCS staff has the professional experience necessary to help our students secure positions that lead to successful careers in the increasingly competitive legal job market.

Building a Career at SMU Dedman School of Law

Strength in Numbers

  • Over 11,000 SMU Law alumni/ae work in positions in 77 countries around the globe.
  • Each year more than 400 employers participate in SMU Dedman School of Law’s recruitment programs, including the on- and off- campus interview programs, resume collection programs and job fairs. 
  • More than 1000 job notices (part-time, full-time, summer, graduate and alumni/ae) are posted each year for SMU Law students and alumni/ae by legal employers, in addition to those who participate in our recruiting programs.
  • Approximately 2,800 student interviews are coordinated each year through our office.
  • SMU Dedman School of Law admits candidates from all over the country, attracting highly qualified candidates from some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country such as Harvard, Columbia, MIT, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Washington & Lee, Duke, Emory, Howard, NYU, Georgetown, George Washington, Virginia, Berkeley, BYU, USC, Spelman, William & Mary, Wake Forest, Boston College, Tulane, all of the major Texas schools and many more.

Class of 2006: Employment Statistics

Over 97% of the 264 graduates in the Class of 2006 were employed six to nine months after graduation.

-The median entry level salary for graduates entering private practice is $100,000 (as of February 2006). 

-The salary range for graduates in all positions is $30,000 to $145,000.

Employment Type

J.D. graduates in the Class of 2006 accepted employment in a variety of practice types:

Employment Type

Geographic Location of Employment

The vibrant economy and broad career opportunities, along with the fact that Texas is a great place to live, are factors explaining why more than 89% of our graduates historically choose to remain in Texas. 

Approximately 83% of 2006 graduates accepted employment in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.  The most popular locations outside of Texas were Georgia, Florida, California, Colorado and Arizona.

Bar Exam

In July 2006, over 89% of SMU first-time test takers passed the Texas Bar Exam, while the average bar passage rate was less than 74%.