Law Building

The J. Reuben Clark Law School is located on the east side of a beautifully planned mall in the eastern section of the Brigham Young University campus.

Designing the law building drew upon the expert talents of BYU's academic facilities planners and the experience of law building planners from throughout the country. The building's five floors contain nine classrooms, three seminar rooms, a student commons area, a student lunchroom, and ample spaces for student organizations and activities.

The classrooms contain a variety of innovative seating arrangements designed exclusively for law teaching purposes. Each student--even in larger classes--has an unrestricted view of the professor and other students in the classroom. The classrooms are designed to allow the active involvement of every student in class discussions, no matter how large or small the group.

Law Library

One of the most technologically advanced law libraries in the world, the Howard W. Hunter Law Library is housed in the north wing of the law building. The library houses a collection of over 450,000 volumes and volume equivalents in paper and microform. Print collections of rare historical materials are a research source for legal researchers and genealogists. Via interlibrary loan, students have access to many more titles found in the catalogs and collections of over 167 other institutions, including major institutions worldwide that, like the Hunter Library, subscribe to the Research Library Information Network (RLIN). RLIN includes most of the major research libraries in the United States and many in Europe, Asia, and other countries in the Americas. Through our partnership with the Harold B. Lee Library (the main BYU campus library) library patrons also have access to the resources of the 8.1 million union list records of the 6600 members of the Online Computer Library Center and the extensive electronic databases provided by the Utah Academic Library Consortium, of which the Hunter Library is a governing member.

The library houses 475 individual, private study carrels with full Internet and LAN computer connectivity. Students have carrel access to electronic resources including Westlaw, LEXIS, and the growing Hunter Law Library Electronic Reserve, including archives of past examinations. The Ashton Legal Research Training Lab provides state of the art facilities for advanced legal research and related computer training. Printers for student use are available on all floors of the library. Copy machines are available throughout the library The library provides 17 group study rooms, spacious casual seating, and office and research space for the law school's three scholarly journals and two advocacy programs. Specialized rooms are dedicated to video viewing, interactive video, microforms, and television hookups providing real time viewing of classes for parents who must occasionally bring young children to class. A small children's library and a twenty-four hour access reference library provide assistance to students with young families though others use them as well.

The library hosts the Spirit of the Law lecture series, the First Fridays Chamber Music series, and occasional lectures of interest to the Law School community. The library exhibits material from the collections of the BYU Museum of Art and the BYU Museum of Peoples and Cultures as well as its own growing art collection.

The library faculty are highly regarded for their scholarship and willingness to be of service to both the Law School community and the larger community. All faculty members have graduate professional degrees in library science or law and most have both degrees. All are active in law library associations, publishing, and research.

Career Services

The Law School's Career Services staff is available to offer encouragement and advice to all students and alumni. Whether you are seeking your first summer clerkship or your second permanent position, Career Services can help you connect with employers. When the legal employment market shifts, the Career Services staff responds by developing innovative programs to meet new challenges. Staffed by an Assistant Dean, a director, and three recruiting coordinators, the office specializes in helping students make the transition from law student to lawyer. Both the Dean and the director are attorneys, and both worked as practicing attorneys before joining the Law School. The recruiting coordinators are highly skilled professionals with excellent writing and communication skills. Their combined work experiences give them the insight needed to help students make a good impression with prospective legal employers. Some of the services specifically offered by the professionals in the Career Services Office are described below.

Professional Development Lecture Series and Skills Training Classes

The J. Reuben Clark Law School is the only ABA-accredited law school offering professional development classes. Designed to make students aware of their many options, the lecture series features panels of practicing attorneys, who participate as guest lecturers and spotlight their area of practice. These presentations allow students to assess their interests and skills and subsequently set their own career goals. The skills training class teaches, in a step-by-step manner, how to draft a résumé; and cover letter, develop good interviewing skills, make networking connections that can lead to employment and other skills important to the job search process.

CSO Career Publications

In addition to an extensive resource library, the Career Services Office prepares and publishes several books, including: The Professional Development Handbook, The 2L/3L Job Hunt Book, The Public Service Handbook, and The Judicial Clerkship Handbook. Each is designed to help students successfully navigate the job search, make them aware of various resources, and inform them of job openings. As the first step of the career-planning educational strategy, each first-year student receives the Professional Development Handbook. The handbook directs students through the job search in a logical manner. Assignments designed to initiate a legal job search are included.

Career Services Web Site

With the advent of new technology and other advances, the Career Services Office continues to offer new programs and services to J. Reuben Clark Law School students and alumni. The office has its own Web page, which contains links for both students and employers. Become better acquainted with the Career Services Office by clicking here.

Networking Opportunities

Every successful job seeker knows that networking is the key to success. Acting as a team, the Career Services and the 8,500 J. Reuben Clark Law Society members throughout the world provide students with multiple networking opportunities. Students also have the opportunity to meet practicing attorneys in an informal setting at the semi-annual general conference networking receptions in Salt Lake City.

Furthermore, the Career Services Office, together with the Alumni Board, organizes a mentoring program matching students with Alumni members. Each mentor agrees to review the student's résumé, perform a mock interview, provide advice about career options, and answer questions regarding how to balance professional and other demands. Finally, Alumni members and other employers participate in an annual Career Fair, which provides students with the opportunity to learn more about specific employers during short presentations and mock interviews.