Externships

Externships

Western State offers a wide variety and large number of educational placement options, matched to fit individual student goals, experience, academic standing and expectations. Students receive academic credit and individual feedback from supervisors for the legal work they perform. Every student is encouraged and has the opportunity to participate in one or more externships during their time in law school.

In addition to the time spent in their placement, student externs also meet weekly in an on-campus seminar to debrief their experiences and gain a deeper understanding of their role and the functions and responsibilities of attorneys, judges and other legal personnel.

LAW517 CIVIL PRACTICE EXTERNSHIP 3 Credits

Students are placed part-time in law firms, state or federal agencies, corporations or other practice settings in the civil law field. Under the supervision of an attorney, these student externs research cases, write memos, interview clients, participate in court proceedings or perform other tasks relating to civil practice. Students in civil law externships may be eligible for certification for court appearances under State Bar rules.

LAW467 CRIMINAL LAW EXTERNSHIP 3 Credits

Students enrolled in a Criminal Law Externship work an average of 14 hours per week in the Office of the Orange County District Attorney or in the Office of the Orange County Public Defender.

FIRST YEAR SUMMER HONORS PROGRAM

First year students who are invited to participate in the Summer Honors Program will be assigned to part-time appellate, judicial trial or civil practice externships for the eight-week summer session.

LAW511 JUDICIAL APPELLATE EXTERNSHIP 3 or 8 Credits

This course requires students to work in the chambers of an appellate judge at the state level. The educational objectives of the externship include introducing students to the appellate process, enhancing students’ research and writing skills through drafting legal memoranda and opinions, and exposing students to civil or criminal matters in a “real world” setting. Students will work with judges and/or attorney staff members who will introduce them to civility and ethical issues in practice, as well as the importance of the court case record.

LAW514 JUDICIAL TRIAL EXTERNSHIP 3 Credits

This course requires students to work in the chambers of a trial judge at the state level. The educational objectives include exposing students to the judicial process, allowing them to gain a better understanding of what judges and attorneys do in a litigation setting and the judge’s role as arbiter of disputes. Students will enhance their research and writing skills through drafting legal memoranda and orders, as well as gain understanding of the practical use of the rules of evidence and trial techniques.

EXTERNSHIP BENEFITS

An externship is a limited enrollment course for which students are assigned to an approved placement arranged by the Director of the Externship Program. The student must also attend the externship seminar. A student may enroll in an externship only if the student has a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 upon the conclusion of the semester immediately preceding enrollment. (See Section V.J. of the catalog for registration requirements)

A student may not enroll in two externships concurrently. A student may enroll in more than one externship in different semesters only with the permission of the Director of the Externship Program. In approving the enrollment of a student in a second externship, the Externship Director shall determine that the externship is academically appropriate for the student, considering the total amount of non-classroom units completed by the student, the total number of advanced professional skills units completed by the student, the quality of the student’s performance in the completed externship, the availability of the externship opportunity to other students and other factors the Externship Director identifies as helpful.

A student who repeats an externship must repeat the externship seminar.