Domestic Externship Program

Yes, a student may earn 2-3 experiential credits for a paid externship. These credits must be taken in one semester.

SULS is not responsible for monitoring or arranging compensation. All issues regarding compensation are solely between the placement and the student. All paid placements must comply with the mandates of the ABA Law School Standards and all the requirements of the Externship Program.

For students already engaged in law-related employment, current work and/or placements will not automatically qualify for this program. To qualify, students and their placements must (1) comply with the mandates of the ABA, (2) fulfill all Externship Program requirements, and (3) submit an educational plan substantiating that student work will be similar to that of law practice and J.D. advantage work and focused on developing foundational and lawyering skills as well as professional identity.

Acceptance of a paid externship is subject to the approval of the student’s assigned Externship Director.

You may earn up to 12 credits in externship and clinical programs.

An externship is a law school course that combines formal instruction with practical legal and J.D. advantage work. Students learn from their practical work under the joint guidance of their site supervisor and their externship faculty. The focus of an externship is first on the student’s learning, for which the student earns credit toward graduation. Accordingly, the student will have regular meetings with their supervisor and evaluations that might involve both the externship supervisor and faculty.

An internship, by contrast, omits formal instruction and focuses first on the needs of the site and its clients, while helping the student transition from school to work. The student receives supervision only from their site supervisor. An internship therefore does not confer credit to the student.

The world of legal education is changing so these definitions are in flux. However, originally, clinics were law offices where law school faculty members directly supervised legal work done by law students for live clients. In contrast, externships were situations in which non-faculty lawyers supervised law students in settings outside of the law school, and the work was overseen by faculty members who gave additional guidance and encouraged ethical, professional, and other reflections upon the experience. In reality now, some of our legal externships are in private practice with lawyers who are also adjunct professors at the law school in substantive areas. And, in some of our clinics, supervision is done by lawyers who work outside of the law school context and our inside faculty oversee the field supervisors and give additional guidance and encourage reflection. In general, clinics at our law school involve supervision of indigents in pro bono litigation. In our externship program, many of the same opportunities are available for a single semester (prosecutors, defenders, legal services), so if you get closed out of a clinic or want to do one for a single semester, you may want to consider an externship option.

Any day or hybrid JD student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after the fall semester of their first year is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the summer after their first year. Any day or hybrid JD student who has a GPA below 2.67 after the fall semester of their first year is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the summer after their first year. Thereafter, all day and hybrid JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at time of their applications.

Any evening student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after their third semester is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their second year. Any evening student who has a GPA below 2.67 after their third semester is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their second year. Thereafter, all evening JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at the time of their applications.

Any day accelerated JD student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after their first semester (summer) is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their first full year (third semester). Any accelerated JD student who has a GPA below 2.67 after their first semester (summer) is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their first full year (third semester). Thereafter, all day accelerated JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at the time of their applications.

Any evening accelerated JD student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after their third semester (spring) is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the following summer. Any evening accelerated JD student who has a GPA below 2.67 after their third semester (spring) is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the following summer. Thereafter, all evening accelerated JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at the time of their applications.

Students may earn from 2-5 credits per semester for their field placement work. One credit is earned for each 45 hours of legal work in the field. Credit for the field placement work is received on a credit/no credit basis. Students may distribute the hours to be worked as they choose during the semester with the approval of the site supervisor. The supervising professor must approve the number of credits appropriate for the student and the given placement in order to guarantee that the program's educational objectives are met.

Many factors influence this decision:

1. Student's academic load
2. Student's extracurricular and other activities
3. Whether the field supervisor has been previously affiliated with the Externship Program
4. Field supervisor needs.

Many students' schedules (especially night students) do not permit them to take more than 2-3 credits of Externship. However, most students enjoy their placements more if they have more time in the placement. We aspire for the student to be immersed in the legal environment and immersion requires time. Some placements have minimum hours requirements.

Students find and apply independently for a one semester externship. All legal or J.D. Advantage work is performed under the supervision of a lawyer or otherwise qualified professional. We encourage students to search for externship opportunities posted to Symplicity (through the law school’s Office of Professional and Career Development), speak to the Director about past approved sites and use their own network to secure a placement.

Externships often lead to many things but students should focus on the present and on getting the most out of their field placement experience. Some field supervisors do not hire students upon graduation from law school but require lawyers with experience (e.g. U.S. Attorney's Office). Some field supervisors hire students for paid part-time jobs after they become acquainted with the student and his or her work. Others have hired students for full-time associate jobs upon graduation, but we have never kept tallies

Students usually receive: great experience; new knowledge and skills; a mentor in the field supervisor; opportunities to meet other lawyers in the same field; and great source of future information concerning professional opportunities.