Transfer Orientation

In the coming weeks, you will receive messages from the career offices at the Law School and access to the career database, Symplicity. Columbia Law has three dedicated career offices:

• Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers, which focuses on students interested in public interest, human rights, and government careers and manages our pro bono requirement
• Office of Judicial Careers, which assists students in preparing for judicial clerkships, summer judicial internships, and careers in the judiciary
• Office of Private Sector Careers, which prepares students for careers in the private sector, including global law firms, corporate legal departments and investment banking and consulting firms

You are welcome to participate in drop in hours for any career office during Transfer Orientation or to make an individual appointment with a counselor.

Public Interest Careers and Judicial Clerkships

You will be eligible to participate in the Fall On Campus Interview program, which will include public interest and government employers for your class year.  Over the summer, you will be able to submit your materials for Fall OCI through Symplicity and interviews will start in late-August. 

For questions pertaining to public sector employment and resume and application materials, visit the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers' website.

Columbia Law School participates in the judicial clerk hiring plan. OJC hosts extensive programming in the Fall and Spring to prepare students to apply for judicial clerkships following the second semester of their 2L year.  For questions pertaining to judicial clerkships, visit the OJC website.

Private Sector Careers

Early Interview Program (EIP)

Columbia’s long standing 2L summer recruitment program for private sector employers is known as the Early Interview Program (EIP). EIP, hosted by the Office of Private Sector Careers, will take place virtually on Friday, July 28 and Monday, July 31 through Wednesday, August 2, 2023. If you are intending to seek legal employment in a law firm for next summer, it is important that you participate in EIP.

• Bidding: Interviews are assigned through a lottery system, in which students have up to 40 bids to rank their preferred employers in order of preference. Columbia does not allow EIP employers to pre-screen applicants. All of this is done using Symplicity, our Career Services database. Transfer students are included in the bidding lottery with all the other students. Students will be assigned to an OPSC counselor and given access to Symplicity to input their bids.
• Resume and Bid List Review: Transfer students can work with their OPSC counselor regarding their resume and EIP bid list.
• Resources: Transfer students should work with their OPSC counselor to best use and understand OPSC resources and policies.

Important Dates:

• Practice Interview Program, July 19: To help you prepare for EIP, we arrange for attorneys from New York City law firms to provide virtual mock interviews. Transfer students are eligible for and encouraged to participate in this program.
• EIP Kickoff Event: Details to be confirmed.

Fall and Spring On-Campus Interview (OCI) Programs

In conjunction with the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers, Columbia’s public sector advising office, our Fall and Spring OCI programs provide 2L and 3L students with an opportunity to interview with law firms, corporations, government, and public interest organizations for summer and postgraduate positions. Interviews are held virtually from August through October in the Fall, and in January through March in the Spring.

*Transfer students are expected to inform their schools on the date they make their deposit at CLS that they are now students at CLS and therefore, such students are expected to participate only in CLS’ Interview Program.

Yadira Ramos-Herbert, Associate Dean of Student and Registration Services, manages both Student and Registration Services. From orientation to graduation, Yadira leads her teams in supporting students in all aspects from managing student organizations to helping guide you through course selection.


Jessica Valdes Jimenez, Executive Director of Student Services, Community Engagement, and Equity, provides academic support and counseling, plans student-facing programming, and serves on the Law School's Anti-Racism Coordinating Committee and Teaching Committee.

Jeffrey Bagares, Director of Operations, leads Student Services' business and finance operations, oversees event planning and contracts, provides guidance and oversight for the Law School's student organizations, and manages the course records system with Registration Services.


Jordan Carr, Associate Director for Academic Counseling, manages the Peer Mentor Program, student journals, wellness programming, international student advising, and dual-degree advising.


Lauren Levy, Assistant Director of Academic Counseling and Student Support, counsels students, oversees disability accommodations, and academic advising.

Bernice Jusino, Assistant Director of Student Services, is the contact for all student organization event listings, and works with Associate Dean Ramos-Herbert to develop, establish, and maintain operational standards to improve the student experience and reduce inefficiencies.

Luke Christie, Assistant Director of Student Life, manages all aspects of on-campus housing and can help you explore the wide range of university housing options available, and supports student organizations and Student Services initiatives.

Gulshan Khonkeldieva, Student Services Coordinator, processes invoices for student organizations, oversees the mail distribution for student organizations, and supports Student Services programming.

Joel Kosman, Academic Advising and Wellness Coach, leads Student Services’ Health and Wellness efforts and supports our academic advising.