Understanding Externship Programs
Explore the basics, terminology, components, and process of finding an externship. Learn how to plan ahead, research externship sites, and apply effectively for this valuable hands-on learning opportunity in a legal environment.
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Presentation Transcript
Externship Program Information Session
Basics & Terminology Externships are a great opportunity for hands on learning and are to be a focused learning experience. Website Website https://www.law.uw.edu/academics/experiential https://www.law.uw.edu/academics/experiential- -learning/externship learning/externship Externship Internship Clerkship Various organizations use terms differently. 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 Postings on 12Twenty Student Career Services (SCS) Online Public Service Jobs Directory (PSJD) https://www.psjd.org Internet research - there are many opportunities for externships. ***NOTE: Externship sites and supervisors ***NOTE: 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 Registering for an externship. 1. Email extern@uw.edu. You will be added to communication list for externships for the quarter you have indicated. 2. Complete registration process sent from 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.
Location of Externship Except for, for-profit externships*, you can do an externship at one location for more than 1 quarter ONLY learning objectives learning objectives for subsequent quarters. Need to work with the externship office prior to planning to extern at the same location for more than one quarter. Can t turn a job/internship into a credit bearing experience ONLY if you can show new new 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. No compensation permitted.
Length of Externship Communicate clearly with your potential site supervisor Communicate clearly with your potential site supervisor Work period for externship 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.) ***Spring externships for 3Ls need to finish prior to finals. Bar prep.*** Hours expected by host site Hours expected by host site Be sure to discuss the hours of the externship with your prospective site supervisor and make sure you re both on the same page. Is the externship expected to be full time or part time? If part time, how many hours a week and are there specific days? Are there specific meetings or other events you need to attend? Are you expected on site at specific times?
Financial Considerations Tuition. If you enroll in an externship to receive credit, there will be tuition costs (including in the summer when you might not be taking other classes) 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, public service externships with UW law may be compensated. (for profit externships may not) 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. (This limit does NOT include clinics or other experiential classes) Externships and Seminar are credit/no credit (Keep in mind limits related to opportunity for Order of the Coif)
Other Considerations Types of externships Remote/hybrid? - Ask about the opportunities to connect/observe/attend meetings with a remote externship. What is available? Seminar requirement for all first-time externs 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* Conflicts of interest, conflicts of time commitment (including seminar)
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 Seminar offered each quarter Seminar is not 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 instructions on process. When materials are completed and uploaded to 12Twenty, Externship Program will review & notify Academic Services to register student for externship and applicable seminar.
12Twenty *Please use the Externship How-To Guide for 12Twenty* 1. From 12Twenty homepage, select Experiential Learning in the left column On the next page, click in the top right corner. You should see a new page titled Create New Experience. 2. Student. When you type your name, it should populate with options. Click your name so that it connects to you in 12Twenty. 3. Employer. As with students, when you type the name of the employer, it should show applicable options. Search by the key words for the correct entry. Use the location/division/judge specific entry when applicable. Do NOT a general court or office. If the specific employer isn t in 12Twenty, email extern@uw.edu. DO NOT CREATE A NEW EMPLOYER. 4. Experiential Learning Type. Select Externship 5. Pro Bono Type. Select Externship. This will eventually go away. For now, select externship. The How-To guide has specifics. Please ask if you have questions.
Scheduling Worksheet sample. Provided to help you determine the number of hours you will ultimately work (taking into account hours/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. Don t include hours on days off (note holidays)
Host Site Requirements Confirmation of Student Status. Some sites require you to get a signature from the law school attesting to your status as a student and therefore ability to extern. Send early so that you don t end up in a time crunch Background check. Plan ahead as they can take extra time that may delay your externship. Rule 9 status After 2L year. can obtain limited license to practice If needed for your externship, obtain early https://www.law.washington.edu/students/forms
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 Adam Eisenberg Adam Eisenberg Externship Director & Seminar instructor eisena@uw.edu Carolyn Kennedy Carolyn Kennedy Program Manager extern@uw.edu
