Heather Spielmaker Joins University of Arizona Law as Assistant Dean of Career Development
“I’m excited to work with the high caliber of students at University of Arizona Law and to help each find a career path that will be meaningful and rewarding.”
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law welcomes Heather Spielmaker as the new assistant dean for career development.
Before joining University of Arizona Law, Spielmaker led career services offices at the University of Kansas School of Law and West Virginia University College of Law. During her time at KU, the college was in the top 5% of ABA accredited schools for full-time, long-term legal jobs ten months after graduation, and while at West Virginia she doubled the size of the school’s on-campus interview program.
“I’m excited to work with the high caliber of students at University of Arizona Law and to help each find a career path that will be meaningful and rewarding,” said Spielmaker. “The Career Development Office will be a welcoming, accessible, and respectful place for all, offering exceptional programming and helping students achieve excellent career outcomes. We hope to be supportive stewards of the university and a great office to work with.”
Spielmaker has also served as the director of the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, where she developed and administered dozens of pro bono programs. Among them was the Service to Soldiers Legal Assistance Program which provided more than $5 million in pro bono legal services for deploying and returning troops and for which she received the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Legion of Merit Award.
“Heather is a national leader in legal career placement, and we are very fortunate that she has been drawn to our community and the Sonoran Desert," noted Marc Miller, dean of University of Arizona Law. "She has successfully led two career development offices, in each case achieving notable outcomes for their JD graduates. Our college will benefit from her expertise, intelligence, creativity and energy in the months and years to come. We are thrilled that she is here.”
In addition to extensive resources and interviewing opportunities available to all students and alumni, the Career Development Office under Spielmaker will continue to counsel current and recently graduated law students through the changing job market as they take their first critical steps into their chosen profession. The office also works directly with a wide range of employers including law firms, public interest organizations, the judiciary, businesses and compliance consultants both throughout the region and nation-wide, to provide ideal candidates and information on hiring trends.
“The University of Arizona College of Law has a history of delivering excellent legal talent to the legal community here in Arizona and beyond,” explained Spielmaker. “Because roughly 80% of our graduates have jobs lined up before graduation, we hope to work with employers early so we can best help them meet their recruitment needs.”
Spielmaker earned her undergraduate degree, with honors, from Michigan State University, and her JD, magna cum laude, from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. She currently serves on the ABA/NALP Employment Reporting Protocols Advisory Committee. In her downtime, Spielmaker enjoys traveling, SCUBA diving, white water rafting, and spending time with her children and sisters back in Michigan.