Key Steps for Securing an Externship Program in Law School
Learn about the externship program at UW Law and the essential components, terminology, planning, and finding process involved. Discover important dates and responsibilities for students looking to secure externships, along with tips for applying successfully.
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Presentation Transcript
Externship Program Information Session
Terminology Externship program setup per ABA Website Website https://www.law.uw.edu/academics/experiential https://www.law.uw.edu/academics/experiential- -learning/externship learning/externship Externship Internship Clerkship Terms used differently by various organizations. UW law uses the term externship to refer to outside legal experience for credit.
Components of externship Host Site/Supervisor Attorney or Judge offering supervised legal experience setup for the purpose of legal education for the student. Student Established learning objectives determined with site supervisor Academic Credit UW Law Companion Seminar for all first-time externs Faculty supervision ensuring a learning environment during externship. PLANNING***
Important Dates ***Plan Ahead*** ***Plan Ahead*** START THE PROCESS EARLY! START THE PROCESS EARLY! Beginning Beginning of quarter preceding the one where you wish to extern at the very least. Preferably earlier. Confirm host site approval EARLY EARLY by emailing extern@uw.edu Apply at host site and confirm offer for externship Mid-way through quarter preceding externship, registration process will open at law school. Manage necessary forms early so that you have the needed signature from your host site supervisor. *Registration deadline is on the externship website*
Students are responsible to find and Students are responsible to find and secure externships. secure externships. There are many options! Research! There are many options! Research! Each site will vary regarding application requirements. Potential sites on Externship website Student Public Service Experiences Student Career Services (SCS) Online Public Service Jobs Directory (PSJD) https://www.psjd.org Internet research - there are many opportunities for externships. ***NOTE: ***NOTE: Externship sites and supervisors Externship sites and supervisors must be approved must be approved before a student can before a student can register. register. All sites must provide an attorney or judge admitted to practice law for at least 3 years to be your supervisor. Confirm site and supervisor approval by Confirm site and supervisor approval by emailing emailing extern@uw.edu extern@uw.edu
Applying for an Externship Finding an externship site is like applying for a job. 1. Find externship site 2. 2. ***Confirm they are approved (or can be approved) by the ***Confirm they are approved (or can be approved) by the law school law school 3. Confirm offer to extern at site When registration opens (quarter prior to quarter you want to extern) 1. Email extern@uw.edu 2. Complete registration documents and send to extern@uw.edu ***NOTE: Be aware of different deadlines. You will need to complete ***NOTE: Be aware of different deadlines. You will need to complete process with externship site and get approval for the site well before process with externship site and get approval for the site well before you need to register at the law school. you need to register at the law school.
Length & Location of Externship Except for, for-profit externships, you can do an externship at one location for more than 1 quarter. ***Note however, that after 1 quarter, you must show new learning objectives new learning objectives for subsequent quarters. Even if you stay at the same location, the full registration process is required for each subsequent quarter. For-profit externships are limited* Must be local In-house counsel or small firm of 10 attorneys or less Limited to 1 quarter. May not repeat externship at a for profit location Limited to min of 4 max of 6 credits. Work period for externship: Between first and last day of quarter. (Can extend on the front-end during summer and fall so long as you finish hours and evals before grades are due. Email extern@uw.edu if your schedule will extend outside the normal quarter.)
Financial Considerations Tuition. If you enroll in an externship to receive credit, there will be tuition costs Tuition Dashboard: https://www.washington.edu/opb/tuition- fees/current-tuition-and-fees-dashboards/graduate-tuition- dashboard/ Funding sources Financial aid Scholarships, grants Public Interest Law Association (PILA) etc. Compensation As of February 2024, externships with UW law may be compensated. Not all sites pay externs (and many do not) Some offer stipends
Academic Considerations Externships must be a minimum of 60 hours = 2 credits 30 hours of field work per credit Experiential Coursework 9 credit requirement can be satisfied by an externship Public Service externships of 2+ credits satisfy the Public Service requirement for graduation Note: Public service and experiential can t overlap. Need 2 public service and 9 Experiential = 11 total in these areas. Limit of 18 credits for externship and non-law courses Externships and Seminar are credit/no credit (Keep in mind limits related to opportunity for Order of the Coif)
Other Considerations Types of externships Looking for public service hours? Seminar requirement Timing Pondering type of law in which you are most interested? Rule 9 status after 2nd year Academic credit means tuition (including summer). Desired experience & Personal goals Schedule for the quarter Other coursework/Paid Job Clinic work no clinic & externship in same quarter*
Required number of hours per credit. Credits2 Required hours3 Credits2 Required hours3 2 credits 60 hours 11 credits 330 hours 3 credits 90 hours 12 credits 360 hours 4 credits 120 hours 13 credits 390 hours 5 credits 150 hours 14 credits 420 hours 6 credits 180 hours 15 credits 450 hours 7 credits 210 hours 16 credits 480 hours 8 credits 240 hours 17 credits 510 hours 9 credits 270 hours 18 credits* 540 hours 10 credits 300 hours *Max # of credits toward JD 1. You may request a lower number of credits than your proposed hours warrant. When deciding the number of credits, please verify whether the externship/non-law & Order of the Coif credit caps apply. 2. B567, the externship seminar, is a separate 2-credit course, which is not included in the hourly requirement and does not count against the externship/non-law credit cap. 3. Hours are not rounded up and no partial credits are awarded. If you do not complete the required number of externship work hours for the number of enrolled credits, your credits will be reduced.
Seminar Externships consist of 2 parts Outside learning experience Companion seminar (2 credit class) Concurrent seminar required for first time externs Seminars offered each quarter Section A seminar is in person for all externships that are in the Seattle area. Section B seminar is via zoom, an only if externship is not in Seattle area. NEITHER seminar is asynchronous. (keep in mind if externing in another time zone). Seminar is optional after first quarter of externship
Registration Email Email extern@uw.edu extern@uw.edu to confirm site approval and get to confirm site approval and get added to list to register for externship added to list to register for externship You will be added to spreadsheet for applicable quarter. Different from other classes Students do not self-register No add codes Deadlines are different Registration for externships due prior to the beginning of the quarter. Deadline on website. Additional forms required Externship Program will send email with the required forms. When materials are completed, Externship Program will review & notify Academic Services to register student for externship and applicable seminar.
Scheduling Worksheet sample. Provided to help you determine the number of hours you will ultimately work (taking into account days planned, as well as holidays or other days you may have off). *BE SURE YOU WORK WITH YOUR SITE SUPERVISOR ON YOUR SCHEDULE.* Decide start and end dates. Plan around required mgs and/or classes. Know when you are expected in the office! If your plan includes days outside the normal quarter, talk to me first.
Externship Scheduling Worksheet - SUMMER 2023 Student Name Externship credits requested for quarter (based on hours calculated below) Complete ALL elements of the table to confirm your hours planned for the quarter In preparing your schedule, please note any anticipated absences (vacations, etc.), in addition to holidays and other reasons for office closure. Quarter week Week starting Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Total hours Fill in regular schedule and daily total hours below Example: Start - end Start - end Start - end Start - end Start - end 8:30am - 4:30pm (30 min) lunch break lunch break lunch break lunch break lunch break 7.5 0 Fill in daily total hours on schedule below 1 19-Jun 0 2 26-Jun 0 3 3-Jul 0 4 10-Jul 0 5 17-Jul 0 6 24-Jul 0 7 31-Jul 0 8 7-Aug 0 9 14-Aug 0 Total Hours 0 First day of instruction Last day of instruction UW Holiday SAMPLE. Be sure to complete ALL information including your location, supervisor info, credits requested, seminar confirmation etc. Have site supervisor input substantial lawyering experience and learning outcomes. AND both must sign.
Timesheets Every extern, regardless of seminar must keep timesheets of their work. You only get credit for actual (substantive/legal) hours worked. Interviewing clients/witnesses Legal research/analysis/writing Preparation for and participation in court/hearings etc. Meetings with supervisor, staff meetings You may not earn credit for: Breaks, lunch or other. Time doing your time logs Seminar time and/or preparing for class Social events/networking meetings Missed days including illness, holidays etc.
Evaluations Each Extern must submit end of quarter evaluations One from student One from site supervisor Forms are within the assignments on Canvas. Students are responsible to send the evaluation form to their site supervisor with plenty of time to complete prior to the end of the quarter. Deadlines are in Canvas. Must be in prior to grade deadlines so that you can get credit. ***NOTE ***NOTE: The companion seminar includes further assignments required as part of that class.
Externship Program Staff Carolyn Kennedy Carolyn Kennedy Program Manager extern@uw.edu Jessica West Jessica West Seminar instructor Section A (in person) jwest2@uw.edu Adam Eisenberg Adam Eisenberg Seminar instructor Section B (via Zoom) eisena@uw.edu
