Recent CDO programs have highlighted career options in the private practice of law and provided students with information on topics related to private law firms, such as:
- Bankruptcy
- Civil litigation
- Compliance
- Energy law
- Family law
- General practice
- Health law
- Intellectual property
- Law firm economics
- Privacy
- Real Estate
- Solo and small firm practice
- Succeeding in summer employment
- Transactional practice
- Out of state legal markets (Seattle, New York, etc.)
In January 2019, the CDO sponsored the 8th Annual JD Pathways, a career conference that brought in over 70 attorneys, over half of whom work for private law firms. The CDO also sponsors several program series to allow students additional opportunities to meet and learn from private practitioners:
- Career Perspective Series (Fall semester): Speakers have included representatives of Messner Reeves, Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti, as well as members of the judiciary with private practice backgrounds.
- CDO Conversations (Spring semester): Speakers have included representatives of firms in Boulder and Denver such as Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, BakerHostetler, the Johnson Law Group, Husch Blackwell, Ballard Spahr, and Woody Law Firm.
- Wednesday Morning Coffees (Fall and Spring semsters): Speakers have included representatives of firms in Boulder and Denver such as Killmer, Lane & Newman, BakerHostetler, and Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti.