Clinics & Externships: Externship Clinics

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR FALL 2020 EXTERNSHIPS

Coronavirus Update for Fall 2020 Semester: All fall externship seminars, and the Immigration Clinic will be taught online.

Submission of all Externship and Immigration Clinic applications for the fall semester will be accepted starting on June 1, 2020. The application deadline is July 17, 2020. 

No externship credit may be awarded without registration in an externship class. To register, students must submit the externship application packet with their current resume. All documents are due by the deadline above and must be sent via email. Submission of the application packet is mandatory to register in the class but does not guarantee approval of the placement or space in the class. Students will be notified once their applications are approved. 

Please talk with Professor Wang before the registration deadline if you have any questions. Telephone Office Hours are 8AM – 8PM, Weekdays, no appointment needed.

Important Information

  • Placements for pay and credit must be approved by the Director of Externships well before the start of the semester.
  • Attendance is mandatory for all six meetings of the civil, judicial, and criminal externship classes, and for all Immigration Clinic seminars/clinics. Please check the Course Catalog to be sure you can attend each class.
  • Students must work 12 out of the 14 weeks in the fall semester to obtain externship credit.

More Information

EXTERNSHIP

ABOUT

In externship clinics, students work under faculty supervision and the supervision of judges and attorneys in government agencies, law offices, counsel offices, and judges' chambers. Students also attend a seminar to share experiences and insights and to focus on the substantive nature of their work. The Externship Supervisor and Extern Agreement form may be downloaded (see below). For assistance with securing a placement for academic credit, please book an appointment with an OCS counselor - click here to book the appointment in OCSonline. Evening appointments are available for evening part-time students. To register for the course email your application packet along with your updated resume to externships@ggu.edu. Find the application packet here. Hard copies applications will not be accepted.

Updated policies for the externship hours:

CONTACT

Allison Wang

Visiting Professor of Law and Director, Externship Program

awang@ggu.edu

EXTERNSHIP

LAW 896A Externship: Civil Field Placement

This course involves both classroom and field work components. In class, students work toward effectiveness in the field by developing skills, engaging in discussion, and reflecting on goals and performance. In the field, students practice civil litigation or transactional work at private or non-profit law offices, government agencies, or in the legal departments of businesses. This course counts toward completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement and is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Application required by deadline to enroll. See deadlines above and find the application here.

 
LAW 896F Externship: Criminal Litigation

This course involves both classroom and field-work components. In class, students work toward effectiveness in the field by developing skills, engaging in discussion, and reflecting on goals and performance. In the field, students practice criminal litigation with prosecutors, public defenders or private defense attorneys. This course counts toward completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement and is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Application required by deadline to enroll. See deadlines above and find the application here.

Pre- or co-requisite: Evidence

 
LAW 896C Externship: Judicial Externships

This course involves both classroom and field-work components. In class, students work toward effectiveness in the field by developing skills, engaging in discussion, and reflecting on goals and performance. In the field, students practice the research, writing and other skills needed to work under the supervision of a judge or court staff attorney. This course counts toward completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement and is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Application required by deadline to enroll. See deadlines above and find the application here.

Prerequisite: cumulative GPA of 2.5 for state trial court and 2.75 for appellate and federal court.

Pre- or co-requisite: Evidence

 
LAW 896B Externship: Advanced

This course involves both classroom and field-work components. In class, students work toward effectiveness in the field by developing skills, engaging in discussion, and reflecting on goals and performance. In the field, students practice civil litigation or transactional work at private or non-profit law offices, government agencies, or in the legal departments of businesses. This course counts toward completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement and is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Application required by deadline to enroll. See deadlines above and find the application here.

Prerequisite: completion of an externship course for credit in the same discipline.

EXTERNSHIP DOCUMENTS

 

HANDBOOKS

 

APPLICATIONS

EXTERNSHIP FAQ

CONTACT

 

Allison Wang

Visiting Professor of Law and Director of Externships

What is an Externship Clinic?

Externships offer students opportunities to earn credit, and sometimes pay, while participating in
practical training opportunities off campus. These externships allow for full or part-time legal experience with practicing lawyers or judges with academic oversight.
Opportunities to gain lawyering experience outside the traditional classroom include:
Four Externship Courses, for which students attend seminars while gaining practical experience off campus:

  • Civil Litigation
  • Criminal Litigation
  • Judicial Externship
  • Legal Externship (for repeating externships)
In addition to working in an approved placement, is there a classroom component to all externships?

Yes, students must attend a companion seminar that meets frequently, although not necessarily every week of the semester. See individual course descriptions for more information about the seminar.

 
Where can I work as an extern?

You can work at approved placement in government agencies, non-profits, civil law firms, companies, and judicial chambers. You can extern locally or outside of the Bay Area.

 
Can I receive academic credit while getting paid for my work?

Yes, according to new American Bar Association standards, you can receive an academic credit while doing paid work. However, placements for pay and credit must be approved by the Director of Externships well before the start of the semester.

 
What will I learn from participating in an externship while in law school?

The overarching goal is to help students become accomplished and reflective practitioners. In the seminar component of each externship class, students explore competencies relevant to their practice. This combination of hands-on, supervised work experience and classroom discussion helps students develop professional skills while enhancing their critical perspective of the issues confronting lawyers and legal institutions in modern society.

 

Who is eligible to enroll in an externship?

Students who have completed 28 units, are in good academic standing, and have completed any required pre-requisites for a course. .

Enrollment in externship cources is limites and prior approval is mandatory. Check the specific course descriptions for additional prerequisites.

 
Can evening part-time (EPT) students participate in clinics and/or externship programs?

Yes. Night students are encouraged to consult with the Director of Externships to see if the particular clinic can accommodate the student’s schedule.

 
Are LLM students eligible for clinics and/or externship programs?

Yes, as long as there is space available.

 
How many hours do I have to work for each field placement unit?

For each unit, students must work for 45 hours at an approved placement. Hours spent preparing for and/or in the accompanying seminar do not count toward the credits earned.

 
Can I take more than one clinic/externship at a time?

No. A student may enroll in only one clinic or externship course per term.

 
Are there limits on the number of clinic units I can earn during law school?
JD students are limited to no more than a total of 13 units during law school for any combination of externship. In rare circumstances and with consent of the instructor and the Dean of Law Student Affairs, a student may take a total of 14 units. Courses that count toward this unit limitation include all externships & clinics.

How do I get started?
  • Work with Office of Career Services to identify an area in which you'd like to gain practical experience and get referrals to placements.
  • Visit OCSonline for current listings, and review student evaluations of externship experiences.
  • Fill out an Externship Application and submit it, along with a current resume, to the Externship Program Coordinator through e-mail.
  • You must apply by the deadline even if you have not received an offer yet. Wait on approval and confirmed enrollment in the course. Remember to communicate with the Director of Externships if you have any problems securing a placement.
 
When should I start looking for a placement?

Only students who have successfully completed 28 credits are eligible to receive credit for an Externship experience. In most cases, students should begin seeking placements in the beginning of the semester PRIOR to the semester in which placement will be completed. (For example, begin applying for summer placements at the beginning of the spring semester.)

 

What about the Clinics? For more information on clinics
Four in-house "live-client" clinics that operate as law offices on campus:
Note: You do not receive externship credits working at the above mentioned in-house clinics.