Externship Program

In the Externship Program, students gain real-world legal experience working side-by-side with law professionals in in a wide variety of settings.  Students locate placements in local public agencies including the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, various city agencies and pro bono legal aid clinics, professor-approved law firms and for judges in both the trial and appellate courts. Working under the supervision of an attorney or judge, students earning externship credit will learn how to interact with clients, solve practical legal problems, and navigate the legal system in real-world hands-on settings.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the Externship program students must have completed 21 units of study.  Interested students must meet with the Director prior to registration to discuss individual interests and suitable placments.

Credit

• Students obtain academic credit based on the number of hours they work at their placement.  Each 50 hours spent working at the placement entitles the student to one unit credit
• Attendance at the scheduled lecture sessions of the classroom component of the program, or completion of assigned additional projects in lieu of classroom lectures, are mandatory to earn credit
• All students are required to submit a final memorandum to the professor related to the work at their placement, and to view and submit written reports of two hour-long videos related to legal ethics
• Students earn a Pass/Fail grade based on participation in the placement and in the classroom or project component
• Students who take a placement and later withdraw may receive a failing grade at the discretion of their placement attorney supervisor and Externship Program Director

 The State Bar of California's Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS) Program

Some placements offer students the opportunity to participate in the State Bar of California's PTLS Program.  Those students are certified to provide legal services under the supervision of their placement attorney.  It is the student's responsibility to pay the filing fee required for certification pursuant to the PTLS Program.  More information, and the forms and procedures regarding how to become a certified law student are available at the State Bar's website at:

http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_generic.jsp?cid=10169&id=1342

Student Responsibilities

Students who enroll in the Externship program are involved in the representation of real clients. Therefore, participants must fully understand this responsibility and take their commitments seriously.  These criteria are amplified and provided in writing by the Director to students at the beginning of their placements.

For more information on the Externship program, contact:

Professor Robert Barrett
Director, Clinical Placement Program
Phone: (818) 775-4500
Email: robertbarrett@charter.net