Externship Program
The Externship Program provides law 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 setting where, under close supervision of an attorney or judge, they contribute to the on-going 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—depositions, settlement conferences, trial--so that they receive broad exposure to the legal system.
Our externships are with governmental and judicial offices and other organizations that serve the public interest. Students may extern with federal court judges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, or county prosecutor and public defender offices. Our Externship Program is expanding. In Fall 2006 we began an externship with the City of Cleveland Prosecutor’s Office to design and implement a Mediation Program that gives residents an alternative to criminal prosecution. In Spring 2007 we began an externship with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Chief Counsel Office that represents the federal government in alien removal and deportation proceedings before federal agencies and courts. In Fall 2007 we will begin an externship with the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. Students may also propose an Independent Externship: in the last two years students have worked at Amnesty International in Australia, The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands, and the Pima County Juvenile Court in Tucson, Arizona.
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. Third year full-time and fourth year part-time students may be eligible to represent clients in court. A key aspect of every externship is close supervision by an attorney who will review and comment on the student’s work throughout the term so that the student hones her/his professional skills and expands her/his understanding of her/his professional responsibilities.
Students may participate in the externship program after completing their first year, full-time as long as they have a G.P.A. of 2.5 or better. During the fall and spring terms a student must commit 16 hours per week for 4 credits and 24 hours per week for 6 credits. During the seven-week summer term, a student must work 24 hours per week to receive 3 credits or 40 hours per week to receive 5 credits. Students may not receive compensation for their work as an Extern.
Students in the Externship Program participate in an Externship Seminar 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.
Interested students should contact Jean Lifter, the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, jean.lifter@law.csuohio.edu, 216-687-4557.