University of Oregon School of Law’s 2020 graduates achieved a nearly 91% employment rate as of March 2021, despite the many challenges presented by the global pandemic over the past year.  That overall employment rate matches the outcome realized by our class of 2019 graduates, who reported the highest overall employment rate since the Great Recession. 

Out of the students employed, nearly 90% of those positions are in full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage or for which having a JD degree offered an advantage.

Marcilynn A. Burke, Oregon Law Dean and Dave Frohnmayer Chair in Leadership and Law, said, “I’m particularly proud of our graduates and the vital support from our career center team and the entire Oregon Law community. They all worked hard to achieve success during this challenging time.”

Out of the 130 graduates from 2020’s class, 38 landed at private law firms, which accounted for the top area of employment. One graduate, Cate Gelband, JD’20, began work with K&L Gates in Seattle in February. She said at Oregon Law she “learned the value of real, hands-on client experience in the Business Law Clinic, in a setting that encouraged attention to detail, collaboration, and communication.” She added that throughout her time at Oregon Law, she “had the privilege of taking great courses from excellent faculty and building friendships with kind, supportive classmates.”

Graduates found positions in a wide range of employment settings. They work across the country in law firms of all sizes. They serve as judicial clerks at every level—trial, appellate, and supreme courts. And, they found opportunities in the business, non-profit, public interest, and government sectors. 

“I am incredibly proud of our graduates and the commitment they made to further their career and professional development plans. They have succeeded in a very challenging job market,” said Rebecca Ivanoff, Assistant Dean for Career Planning and Professional Development.