On-Campus Interviewing
"First Look" Resume Collect Program
Employers may choose to participate in "Resume Collects," where employers have specifically requested to receive applications from our students and interview outside of the Wisconsin Law timeline. Please do not discount these opportunities simply because they are not OCI opportunities! You will submit your applications by selecting the relevant session in the OCI section of 12twenty. Be sure to thoroughly look at every resume collect opportunity!
The Spring First Look resume collect will be open January 30-February 1. To register, email OCPD at career@law.wisc.edu!
Wisconsin Public Interest Interview Program - February 12 & 13, 2026
The University of Wisconsin Law School and Marquette University Law School jointly host the Wisconsin Public Interest Interview Program (WIPIIP). WIPIIP is a great opportunity for students to interview with multiple public interest and government employers for either paid or unpaid summer internships or permanent positions after graduation.
WIPIIP interivews will be held on February 12 and 13 virtually via Flo Recruit. To register for this program, please contact Sofia Ascorbe of Marquette Law at sofia.ascorbe@marquette.edu.
Winter On-Campus Interview Program - February 3-5, 2026
Summer On-Campus Interviews are not the only opportunity students have to interview on campus for internships and full-time positions. The Office of Career and Professional Development will also facilitate a Winter OCI session, which will feature employers from the private, public interest, and government arenas.
Winter OCI interviews will be held in February, with employer registration open until December 22.
2026 Summer On-Campus Interview Program - July through September
- Dates will be announced in early 2026!
Each year, the Law School sponsors a Summer on-campus recruitment program for second- and third-year law students, often referred to as OCI.
During this OCI, many employers focus on interviewing second-year law students for summer positions, as they use their summer classes to determine whether to offer full-time positions to summer clerks. However, the program is not only for 2L students. Some employers interview only 3Ls for permanent jobs. Occasionally, employers look for both summer clerks and full-time positions, so they allocate their interview slots to both 2Ls and 3Ls.
Below is helpful information regarding Fall OCI:
Off-Campus Recruiting Programs
The Law School actively participates in off-campus recruiting programs and job fairs in order to give students increased access to a broad range of employers and to accommodate employers who are unable to participate in our on-campus interviews. The off-campus recruiting programs and job fairs supplement the traditional on-campus interview program held at the Law School in August and September of each year. The Law School pays the registration fees for the off-campus recruiting programs and fairs, though students who participate in these programs generally travel at their own expense.
If you have questions about any of these recruiting programs or job fairs, please contact the Office of Career and Professional Development at career@law.wisc.edu or 608-262-7856.
Recruiting programs fall into four main categories:
Geographic Recruiting Programs
These programs expand the interviewing opportunities for our students who are interested in a specific geographic area. We currently participate in programs with employers in the New York/ Northeast area, Washington D.C., Chicago, and California.
Midwest-California-Georgia (MCGC) Recruiting Consortium
The MCGC Interview Program is a program which features six participating law schools: Emory University School of Law; University of California, Los Angeles School of Law; University of Minnesota Law School; University of Southern California Gould School of Law; Washington University School of Law; and University of Wisconsin Law School.
This year, the program has moved to an early resume collect to meet more employers on their recruiting timelines. This year the program will allow students to apply from January 5 - February 2, and all applications will go to employers on February 3.
To register, you will need a resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcripts. Students can access their transcripts here.
If you have any questions about the MCGC, feel free to email us at career@law.wisc.edu.
Diversity Recruiting Programs
Several external programs recruit students with specific experiences and backgrounds. The programs are held in a variety of locations.
Bay Area Diversity Career Fair
Location: San Francisco, CA
Description: The Bay Area Diversity Career Fair attracts hiring representatives from the Bay Area's most prominent law firms and government legal departments. Only law students who will have completed their first year of law school by the time of interviews (rising 2Ls) are eligible to participate.
Cook County Bar Association Minority Law Student Job Fair
Location: Chicago, IL
Description: The Cook County Bar Association ("CCBA") proudly established the CCBA Minority Law Student Job Fair after recognizing the need to bridge the employment gap between law firms, non-profit organizations, government agencies and minority law students in the Chicago legal community. This event has evolved into the highly-anticipated diversity recruitment event that consistently attracts more than 900 law students and 100+ employers every year. The CCBA Minority Job Fair has established itself as the oldest, largest, and most well-respected professional diversity employment event of its kind in the United States.
Heartland Diversity Legal Job Fair
Location: Kansas City, MO
Description: The primary purpose of the HDLJF is to increase the participation of under-represented groups in the practice of law in Kansas City. All rising 2Ls, 3Ls and recent law grads are invited to participate regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, veteran status, or disability.
Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair
Location: San Francisco, CA
Description: Since its inception in 1988, Lavender Law has excelled as a “family reunion” for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and allied legal professionals to both look back at our shared history of achievement and to look forward to the advancements being made at the cutting edge of the legal profession. Law students, lateral attorney candidates, and individuals already in the legal profession who are looking for more LGBT-friendly workplaces, are invited to attend the LGBT Bar Annual Conference & Career fair.
State Bar of Wisconsin Diversity Clerkship Program
Location: Various legal organizations.
Description: The State Bar of Wisconsin commits to assisting legal organizations interested in diversifying their legal staff. To further its goal of promoting diversity within the legal profession, it facilitates a diversity clerkship program that encourages diversity in the legal profession by providing a rich learning experience for participating students and employers.
Public Interest Recruiting Programs
Our public interest-minded students can interview with a variety of employers from across the country at one of the special programs for public interest employers.
Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair
Location: Arlington, VA
Description: The Equal Justice Works annual Conference and Career Fair is the largest public interest career fair in the country. It is the only event, solely dedicated to law students, where you'll find 1,500 public interest-minded students representing 200 law schools from across the country coming together to explore career options with leading nonprofit organizations and government agencies. The Conference and Career Fair provides access to job opportunities for law students; connects employers with talented attorneys and law students; and offers a multitude of skill-building and career advising sessions with experts from around the country. Our conference continues to be an unparalleled networking opportunity for students, law school professionals and legal professionals.
Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Description: The Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference is held annually in February at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. Participation is free and open to the first, second, and third year students from participating schools. To participate, you must register with OCPD in advance. Information about MPILCC will be available in the fall semester.
Specialized Recruiting Conferences
From time to time, different organizations offer specialized recruiting conferences. These programs, such as the Annual Patent Law Interview Program, give qualified law students an opportunity to meet with employers from across the country.
Loyola Patent Law Interview Program
Location: Chicago, IL
Description: The Loyola Patent Law Interview Program is a two-day interview program held in Chicago each summer that brings together patent law employers and law students from across the country to interview for summer associate positions and post-graduate employment.
San Francisco Intellectual Property Law Association Bay Area Job Fair
Location: San Francisco, CA
Description: The San Francisco Intellectual Property Law Association is pleased to announce the Annual SFIPLA Bay Area Job Fair, which will be held at and co-sponsored by the University of San Francisco School of Law. Meet with high level intellectual property law firms in the Bay area.
In addition to these recruiting programs, the NALP maintains a calendar of regional consortia and recruiting conferences, most of which occur annually. Go to https://www.nalp.org/city to see the current list.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Any employer who seeks the assistance of the Office of Career and Professional Development and/or our facilities for interviewing and other placement functions shall observe and agree to the University of Wisconsin Law School’s principle of equal opportunity, which states:
Non-discrimination and equality of opportunity in legal education includes equal employment opportunity. Pursuant to ABA Standard 205(d), UW-Madison firmly expects any employer accepting UW-Madison assistance or using UW-Madison facilities to observe the principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital or military status in regard to hiring, promotion, retention, and conditions of employment. By checking the Affirmation box when entering a position, you are agreeing to abide by this standard. Penalties for violating this standard may include denial of University assistance and facilities.
Statement on employer engagement
OCPD interacts with and provides information on numerous employers spanning multiple practice areas and settings. An employer's presence at a recruiting event or inclusion in our online job board does not represent an endorsement of that employer or support for its activities. Students should thoroughly research every employer before applying.
