After jumping 14.8 percentage points, Washburn University School of Law was named a top law school in increasing employment gains from 2011 to 2013. The listing “Largest employment gains by school” was released by preLaw and the National Jurist magazines July 15. Washburn Law’s graduate employment rate increased to 78.5 percent in 2013 from 63.7 percent in 2011.

“We are certainly pleased that our graduates are doing well and securing jobs,” said Washburn Law Dean Thomas Romig. “There are several factors that contributed to the increase in employment rates. There has been a rise in jobs in geographical areas that are attractive to our graduates and in addition, they are increasingly taking opportunities where they exist. Washburn Law has been expanding its efforts and programs to give graduates the best opportunity to secure employment.”

Dean Romig indicated that the Law School has been successful in showing students that the legal profession has many types of employment opportunities that are rewarding professionally, personally, and financially. The school has been giving students exposure to different areas of law by holding “lunch and learns” and through participation in the school’s six Centers of Excellence. These Center activities connect law students to experienced professionals and real- world practice, and have led to jobs in many states and areas of the law.

Washburn Law’s Professional Development Office brings in practitioners to talk to students about the many rewards of practicing in smaller communities, especially since there is a shortage of lawyers in rural Kansas. The Law School also holds a government career fair each year where state, local, county and federal agencies meet with students to share legal employment opportunities. As many as 50 agencies have attended at a single fair with good student participation. Washburn Law has been ranked among the top 20 U.S. law schools that excel in preparing students for service in government by the National Jurist.

“We are spending more time than ever meeting individually with law students,” said PDO Director Margann Bennett. “One-on-one attention is the best way to help students identify their strengths and interests, and develop individualized plans for career success.”

With more than 11 years working with students and alumni, Bennett works diligently to connect students with resources in the legal community including Washburn Law’s nationwide alumni network.

“While the nationwide employment rate for recent graduates has been largely flat during the past few years, some schools have bucked the trend and significantly improved their employment rates,” according to the article. “Twenty law schools improved their employment rate by 10 percent or more during the past two years, according to a formula created by the National Jurist to analyze data from the American Bar Association.”