Externships
Externships provide students the opportunity to learn the law outside of the classroom by participating in and observing the legal system in action while earning course credits. Students work in settings where, under close supervision of an attorney or judge, they contribute to the ongoing work of the office. Students have the chance to learn the law by being active participants in the legal process. Externs also get to observe legal proceedings—e.g., depositions, settlement conferences, trials—so that they receive broad exposure to the legal system. A key aspect of every externship is close supervision by an attorney or judge who will review and comment on the student’s work throughout the term so that the student hones professional skills and expands one’s understanding of professional responsibilities.
Externships are with judicial and governmental offices and other organizations that serve the public interest. See Externship Placements. Student work depends on the office. When working in a judge’s chambers a student may research and write bench memos in preparation for hearings on cases or draft orders and opinions. In other offices they may conduct client or witness interviews, engage in discovery and document review, or other types of fact investigation.
Prerequisites: For any externship, a student must have substantially completed the RCC, completed 29 credits and have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 or better. Some externships have additional requirements, as noted. Please note also that some externships require background clearances that may take six weeks or longer. Placements that currently require this kind of clearance are the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Chief Counsel Office, the U.S. Department of Justice Immigration Court, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Law Department. For these you need to apply well in advance of the term in which you wish to extern because you cannot begin your externship until you are cleared. The site supervisor makes the final decision approving students for the placement.
Credits: For every externship, a student must commit to work a certain number of hours and participate in the Externship Seminar. The number of credits you may receive depends on the semester and the externship placement. In the fall or spring 14-week term a student must commit to work 16 hours/week to receive 4 credits and 24 hours/week to receive 6 credits. In the 7-week summer term a student must commit 24 hours/week to receive 3 credits and 40 hours/week to receive 5 credits. Please see the specific terms and number of credits available under the listing for each externship as listed here. Students may not receive compensation for their work as an Extern.
The Externship Seminar is taught by a full-time faculty member at the law school. Students submit weekly written journals and make a presentation about their externship experience. The course is graded Pass/Fail. This grade is based on four factors: completion of the required number of hours and assignments given by the site supervisor, the site supervisor's written evaluation of the extern's work, timely and thoughtful journal entries, and attendance and participation in the externship seminar including a presentation on the extern’s experience.
Third year full-time and fourth year part-time students may be eligible to represent clients in court. See our web pages on Ohio Supreme Court Legal Intern Certificate (for state court eligibility) and Federal Internship Rule (for federal court eligibility).
Interested students must contact Jean Lifter, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, at jean.lifter@law.csuohio.edu or 216-687-4557.