Reciprocity

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

SMU Dedman School of Law has established reciprocal arrangements with a number of law schools around the country. In order for our students and graduates to be granted reciprocity, all schools require that SMU Dedman School of Law first send a “letter of reciprocity” requesting services. Services vary among law schools, but most provide in-office access to their job listings and employment bulletins, the use of their facilities and resource libraries. A few schools may allow online access to job postings on a one-on-one basis for a short period of time, but the majority of law schools require you to access job postings in person on the computers in their offices.

If you are an SMU law student or graduate, the Office of Career Services will request reciprocity on your behalf to any ABA-accredited law school. Please note the following:

  • Before making your request, please go to each school’s website and read their reciprocity policy and guidelines, as each school has its own reciprocity policy.  for the links to the reciprocity policies of most NALP member law schools. 
  • Each school has blackout dates during the recruiting season and does not accept requests during these times. Take note of the blackout dates listed on the school’s website and plan your visit accordingly.
  • Send an email with your request of up to three (3) schools to lawcareer@smu.edu. Include your graduation year or expected graduation date and the approximate dates you expect to be visiting the school.
  • Note that 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. In Texas, the University of Houston Law Center, South Texas College of Law and Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, will honor a request to only one of these schools in the Houston area.
  • If reciprocity is granted, students/alumni should honor the reciprocity policy of the host school that is outlined in the email received granting reciprocity. It is up to you to contact the school’s office and arrange a time to visit if required. Make sure to ask how the school would like for you to store any job bank information (flash drive, CD, email, etc). Remember to take a copy of your letter and a photo ID with you.

Reciprocity for Students or Graduates of Other Law Schools

SMU Dedman School of Law Reciprocity Policy

SMU Dedman School of Law will allow reasonable access to resources to third-year law students and graduates of other ABA-accredited law schools outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area that grant reciprocal services to SMU Dedman School of Law students and graduates. 

How to Request Reciprocity

Requests for reciprocity must be made in writing by a career services official from the requesting student’s or graduate’s law school. A request for reciprocity should be sent by email and must be received and granted at least one week prior to any visit to our campus. Please include the following information:

1. Name of the law school
2. Name of the law student or graduate
3. Year of graduation of the law student or graduate
4. Email address of the law student or graduate

Walk-in and telephone requests will not be granted. Direct inquiries to the following:

Email: lawcareer@smu.edu

Marcie Davis, Assistant Dean
SMU Dedman School of Law
Office of Career Services
P.O. Box 750112
Dallas, TX 75275-0112

Reciprocity is granted for 60 days, effective from the date of correspondence from our office approving the request.

Reciprocity allows in-office access to current job postings, handouts, books related to career development and the job search, directories and computers all of which are available in the Resource Center of the Office of Career Services.

Upon arrival, visitors should check-in at the front desk during our regular business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.) and present student identification or a driver’s license and the letter approving reciprocity. There is no need to call ahead of the visit.

Limitations and Restrictions

  • Reciprocity will not be granted from August 1st through December 1st or February 1st through March 1st.
  • Reciprocity does not include career counseling sessions, resume review, referrals, job fairs, on-campus recruiting programs or remote access to online job postings.
  • Reciprocity is granted on a case-by-case basis. SMU Dedman School of Law reserves the right to adjust reciprocity requirements if the requesting school has a more restrictive policy or to withhold reciprocity, in the event that the Office of Career Services receives more reciprocity requests from a school than that school receives from SMU Dedman School of Law students. 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.
  • Reciprocity is not granted to students or graduates from other Dallas-Fort Worth area law schools.

This policy will be reviewed periodically to keep pace with employment demands of the legal community.