Professional and Career Development Services
Welcome
All of our employer services are managed through our online recruiting system powered by Symplicity. Through C.O.Y.O.T.E.S. you can post jobs, schedule on-campus interviews, collect resumes, and create an employer profile viewable by students and alumni. Click on the C.O.Y.O.T.E.S. lick or contact the Professional and Career Development line for assistance at 605-677-3909.
The C.O.Y.O.T.E.S. User Guide has simple, user-friendly steps for accessing and posting in the system. If you would like assistance with posting, please contact our Professional and Career Development line at 605-677-3909.
Full-time, Part-time, Entry-level, Experienced Positions
Employers of all types are encouraged to post job opportunities. The postings should be for positions that prefer or require a J.D. or joint-degree (JD/MBA, JD/MPA).
Internships
Internship opportunities may arise in various instances, including on-campus interviews, resume collections, and job postings. Internships can be compensated or uncompensated. Compensation can be either hourly or stipend. The length of internships varies from 6-14 weeks. Generally, the South Dakota Rules provide that law students who have successfully completed four semesters of law school can participate in legal work of varying kinds under the applicable rules and with the supervision of a lawyer, including making court appearances in both the state courts and the federal district court. (See also: SDCL 16-16-1; SDCL 19-13-2 thru 19-13-5 (Rules); and LR 83.2(I) of the Rules of Practice for the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. Whether in a U.S. District (Federal) Court or in a state court, students working in other states (outside SD) must consult and follow that state's rules.
Research or Single Projects
These short-term projects can be paid or unpaid. Students are interested in working on projects as their schedule will permit and that are in his or her area of interest.
Externships
Externships are field placement for academic credit. Students register for the summer externship class in the spring. Inquiries about externships should contact the deans' suite at 677-5443.
Alumni
Alumni can access C.O.Y.O.T.E.S. with a user account that can be requested at .
On-Campus Interviews
Many employers each year contact or are invited by the Professional and Career Development Office to arrange on-campus interviews for summer internships and permanent positions. The fall on-campus interviews are focuses on second-year student internships. Firms, companies, organizations, and courts seeking third-year students for permanent or clerkship positions are always welcome to participate in on-campus recruiting that occurs throughout the year. Login into C.O.Y.O.T.E.S. to create a user account and schedule on-campus interviews.
Equal Opportunity Policy Notice: The School of Law provides equal opportunity for the study of law and entry into the legal profession in accordance with policies of the South Dakota Board of Regents, the governing body for higher education in South Dakota; the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, the accrediting agency for United States law schools; and the Association of American Law Schools, a nonprofit corporation that promotes improvement of the legal profession through legal education and of which the School of Law is a member. Potential employers are asked to acknowledge, in writing, receipt of the policy and that they will adhere to it.
Class of 2010
Class Size: 65
Men: 44.6%
Women: 55.4%
Minority: 1.5%
Employed as of Feb 15, 2011.
78.5%
Pursuing a degree as of Feb 15, 2011.
7.7%
Unemployed seeking as of Feb 15, 2011.
13.8%
Employment Categories.
Private Practice: 41.2%
Judicial Clerk: 29.4%
Government: 7.8%
Public Interest: 7.8%
Business: 7.8%
Academic: 5.9%
FT/PT Jobs.
Bar Passage Required-FT: 86.3%
JD Preferred-FT: 3.9%
Other Professional-FT: 7.8%
Other Professional-PT: 2.0%
Business Jobs.
Bar Passage Required: 25%
Other Professional: 75%
Private Practice Size of Firm.
2-10 Attorneys: 76.2%
11-25 Attorneys: 19%
26-50 Attorneys: 4.8%
Location of Jobs.
In-State: 78.4%
Out-of-State: 21.6%
Timing of Job Offer.
After Bar Results: 31.4%
Before Graduation: 54.9%
Before Bar Results: 13.7%