Employers

Syracuse University College of Law has adopted the following guidelines regarding 1) the timing of and response to offers for employment and 2) employer contact with first-year students.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

• When scheduling interviews with students when classes are in session, employers are asked to inquire about and make all reasonable efforts to avoid class conflicts and otherwise not disrupt students’ studies.
• All offers for employment should remain open for at least 14 days from the date of the written offer, excepting private sector employers with more than 40 attorneys (see the guidelines below).
• The below guidelines notwithstanding, we request that employers treat Syracuse University College of Law students no less favorably than students from any other law school with respect to the amount of time students are given to respond to offers for employment.

Initial Application Dates

We ask employers to not initiate formal one-on-one recruiting contact with first-year students, including applications, interviews or offers for employment, before November 15, particularly if final employment decisions are not expected to be made before first-semester grades are available. In limited circumstances, government employers requiring extensive background checks may solicit and review applications prior to November 15.

Interview Dates

Employers should not conduct interviews of any first-year student between Thanksgiving and the end of fall semester examinations unless the student has been offered alternative dates outside this window and the student has expressed a preference to interview during this period.

Students Not Previously Employed by the Employer

• Offers for summer employment should be made in writing and remain open for at least 21 days from the offer letter, OR until December 1, whichever comes first; except that: a) Offers made before the first day of Fall and Spring OCI should remain open for at least 21 days from the first day of OCI. b) Offers made after December 1 should remain open for at least two (2) weeks from the date of the offer letter.
• If requested by the employer in the offer letter, students should reaffirm their interest in the offer within the timeframe and/or by the date specified in the offer letter (if the offer has not already been accepted or declined).

2L Students Previously Employed by the Employer Offers for summer employment should remain open for 21 days from the first day of Fall and Spring OCI.

Students NOT Previously Employed by the Employer

• Offers for post-graduate employment made to students on or before December 1 should remain open for 21 days from the date of the written offer.
• Offers for post-graduate employment made to students after December 1 should remain open for 14 days from the date of the offer letter. Offers for post-graduate employment should remain open for 21 days from the date of the offer letter.

Students Previously Employed by the Employer
Offers for post-graduate employment should remain open for 21 days from the date of the offer letter.

Employers are encouraged to maintain productive working relationships with law schools by:

• Communicating about all on- and off-campus recruiting activities before they take place;
• Scheduling recruitment activities to minimize interference with students’ academic work and exam periods;
• Exercising particular sensitivity during the first semester of law school and respecting individual law school guidelines surrounding 1L recruitment;
• Responding promptly to law schools that report any misrepresentation or misconduct in recruitment activities;
• Not expecting or requesting preferential services from law schools; and
• Avoiding the solicitation of information received by law schools in confidence from candidates or other employers.

Employers are encouraged to share full and accurate information about their organization and the positions for which recruitment is being conducted by:

• Providing information about their organization that will help candidates make informed decisions; and
• Including a clear explanation of all expense reimbursement policies and procedures when extending invitations for in-office interviews.

Employers are responsible for the conduct of their recruiters and for any representation made by those individuals, and can encourage responsible recruiting by:

• Designating recruiters who are knowledgeable about their organization;
• Ensuring that recruiters have training to avoid bias, discrimination, and harassment in the recruiting process;
• Striving to provide interviewing and recruitment environments that minimize the risk of discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment;
• Instructing recruiters not to make any unauthorized commitments; and
• Safeguarding all candidates’ personal privacy.

Employers are encouraged to act in ways that support the ability of candidates to make independent and considered decisions by:

• Establishing reasonable response deadlines and giving candidates a reasonable period of time to consider offers of employment when each offer is made;
• Providing consideration for reasonable requests for extensions;
• Abiding by the established response deadlines for candidate responses;
• Avoiding conduct that subjects candidates to undue pressure to accept or decline offers of employment; and,
• Refraining from any activity that may adversely affect the ability of candidates to make independent and considered decisions.

Employers should honor all of their commitments, including:

• Making good faith offers for employment in writing, with all terms clearly expressed;
• Providing an updated offer, in writing, should modification occur; and
• Notifying the candidate and relevant office of career services promptly if it becomes necessary to rescind or modify an offer of employment, and then working with the candidate to mitigate the impact of that modification or rescission.