SMU Dedman Law Achieves 100% Employment for Class of 2025

SMU Dedman School of Law achieved a 100% employment placement rate for the Class of 2025 by March 15, 2026, with every job-seeking graduate securing a full-time, long-term bar passage required or J.D. advantage position. This milestone underscores Dedman Law’s commitment to providing students with a superior legal education, along with the skills, connections, and support needed to launch successful legal careers.

Other indicators show that Dedman Law not only excels in placing graduates in legal jobs, but also in helping students secure high-quality positions. Law.com recently ranked Dedman Law No. 17 among all law schools nationally for the percentage of 2025 graduates entering associate roles at Am Law 200 firms. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranked Dedman Law No. 28 for the number of graduates placed at Big Law firms.

“These strong outcomes are the result of the quality of our academic programs, our exceptional career services team, and our talented faculty and staff,” said Jason P. Nance, Judge James Noel Dean and Professor of Law at SMU Dedman School of Law. “They also reflect the ability, professionalism, and ambition of our students. Dedman Law recruits talented students and prepares them at the highest level for success in the legal profession.”

Central to these outcomes is the work of SMU Dedman Law’s Career Services team. Beginning at orientation and continuing through graduation, the team partners individually with each student to define career goals, cultivate professional relationships, and prepare graduates to compete at the highest levels of the legal market.

“Our team is deeply committed to helping every student identify their goals, build meaningful professional connections, and navigate the path to a fulfilling legal career,” said Marcie Davis, Assistant Dean of Career Services. “These outcomes reflect not only the hard work and talent of our students, but also the individualized support and partnership that begin on day one and continue through graduation. Our guiding principle in Career Services is simple: ‘Our focus is your success.’ That commitment isn’t just a principle—it’s the purpose behind our work, carried out every day by a deeply dedicated team and reflected in every program, every interaction, and every resource we deploy to support our students from the moment they enroll. For the Class of 2025, that commitment produced outstanding results, and we could not be more proud.”