Program details
The Semester-in-Practice combines a field component and an academic component for the most complete learning experience. For the field component, you determine where you want to work—in a law office, government agency, legal department, etc.—secure an site supervisor at the site, and identify a faculty member to supervise you. You get the chance to observe and perform legal work such as interviewing and counseling clients, conducting legal research and factual investigations, drafting memoranda and other legal documents, and at times advocating in court as certified student attorneys, working under the supervision of a site supervisor.
Working with a faculty supervisor, we also develop the academic component consisting of:
- Goal-setting and reflective writing assignments specific to you
- Mid-semester evaluation meeting with your site supervisor and faculty supervisor
- Additional reflective writing assignments common to all externship placements
- A deep exploration of a topic of law, legal policy, or legal practice related to your placement through reading and discussions, a research paper, or other academic pursuit
You can earn 11-13 credits based 30-40 hours of fieldwork per week, in addition to time spent working with your faculty supervisor and completing work for the academic component.
Eligibility
You can participate in Semester in Practice if you are in the final three semesters of law school and have:
- A 2.8 or better cumulative GPA
- Identified a willing site supervisor at a worksite at which you’ve not already worked; Career Services may be of assistance
- Completed all graduation requirements
To apply
The deadline for Summer and Fall 2018 Semester-in-Practice Applications is March 30, 2018. If you miss the deadline for good cause, please contact Externship Director Denise Roy, [email protected], to discuss your options.
The application can be found here: Semester in Practice Application.
Please email your completed application to [email protected].
Please note that you are responsible for finding your work site, site supervisor, and faculty supervisor for your proposed Semester in Practice.
Please contact [email protected] or [email protected].if you need assistance or if you have any questions.
Prior to submitting your application, you are required to:
- Review the Student Guide for Semester in Practice Student: Student Guide.
- Consider what your learning goals are for your proposed Semester in Practice and include that information in your application.
- Share the Site Supervisor Guide for Semester in Practice with your proposed site supervisor: Site Supervisor Guide (as of 11/21/17).
- Develop a work plan in consultation with your proposed site supervisor for your Semester in Practice – the details of your work plan should be included in your application.
- Share the Faculty Supervisor Guide for Semester in Practice with your proposed faculty supervisor, who must be a member of the full-time faculty: Faculty Supervisor Guide.
- Develop the academic component of your proposed semester in practice, in consultation with your faculty supervisor, and include those details in your application.
Fillable forms needed once SiP begins
- Education Agreement to be completed, executed and submitted immediately after learning goal assignment is complete: SiP Education Agreement Template
- Fundamental Lawyering Skills Rubric to be used for site supervisor mid-term and final evaluations: Fundamental Lawyering Skills Rubric
- Student Self-evaluation form to be used for student mid-term and final evaluations: Student Self-Evaluation Form