Career Opportunities: Diversity Programs

Our Career Development Office is committed to helping diverse students and alumni build successful and satisfying careers by providing individualized career counseling and by working with the legal community to maximize career and professional development opportunities.  

The following career opportunities are available to our diverse students and alumni:

  • Colorado Pledge to Diversity 1L Summer Program: This is a competitive program intended to provide diverse Colorado Law and Denver Law students with opportunities to work in paid 1L summer associate positions.  This program is coordinated through the Career Development Office, and hiring decisions are made by participating legal employers.
  • Firm-Sponsored Diversity Clerkship Programs: Several Denver law firms offer paid summer clerkships for diverse Colorado Law and Denver Law students. These opportunities are coordinated through the Career Development Office, and hiring decisions are made by participating legal employers.
  • Rocky Mountain Diversity Legal Career Fair: Through this fair, legal employers hire law students and graduates from around the country and from diverse backgrounds who have been traditionally under-represented in the practice of law. This fair is coordinated by a Denver law firm, and hiring decisions are made by participating legal employers.

  • Colorado Appellate Courts Diversity Internship Program:  Administered by the Colorado Supreme Court and the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Diversity Internship Program is an opportunity for underrepresented student groups to gain experience working with judges in the state appellate courts. Qualifying second and third year students apply for the program through the Colorado Law Career Development Office and if accepted are placed by the courts with a judge or justice for a spring semester internship. With the courts, interns build their appellate writing experience and are able to explore post-graduate careers in the courts.

  • Public Interest Diversity Internship/Externship Program:  Created by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix, the Diversity Internship/Externship Program provides opportunities for diverse students to gain experience working with public sector organizations.  Qualifying Colorado Law students apply for the program and, if accepted, are placed in fall semester internships/externships with public sector organizations including courts, nonprofits, government agencies, public defenders' offices, and district attorney's offices.  This program gives students the chance to explore public service legal practice in various contexts.