Externships at Cooley

What is involved?

The heart of an externship is the hands-on experience students receive as they work closely with an experienced lawyer. One extern said of his field supervisor, "He cared about me and let me learn as much as I wanted to learn. He gave me projects that most law students will never do. I filed a brief in federal court and accompanied my clients as they became U.S. citizens."

An extern works at a field placement for a minimum of four hours a week for every hour of credit given for the entire term. Placements are generally three credits per term; although, placements may earn up to 10 credits.

Work with a field supervisor varies with the placement. Prosecutor and defender externs appear regularly in court, argue motions, negotiate pleas, and conduct bench and jury trials. Judicial externs may research and draft opinions. Work with a private practitioner generally includes accompanying the supervisor to his or her meetings, client conferences, and court appearances; assuming responsibility for case files; and completing written memoranda and briefs.

In addition to the valuable relationship between the student and field supervisor, externs work directly with a Cooley faculty supervisor, who is responsible for monitoring the placement, visiting the site, and facilitating the extern's learning by meeting regularly with the student. In most cases, meetings will be at regularly scheduled classes. Externs in remote placements conduct class sessions electronically. At these meetings, students are encouraged to explore common issues and examine possible solutions without revealing confidential client information. In addition, these meetings can be used to examine skills needed at the placement and solicit ideas from other externs and the faculty supervisors.

In her extern journal, Cooley student Jill Mittelstadt described how her externship experience capped three rigorous years of law school: "I made a difference for the first time ... Roger (my field supervisor) asked me to write one last letter to the insurance company ... he's actually already sent letters but he wanted one more ... Well, today Roger presented me was a small vase of flowers and a thank you note ... The insurance adjuster called and reluctantly informed him they'd be sending payment: $3,000. I'm starting to realize that Cooley is like a strict teacher everyone resents at the time, but eventually everyone realizes that the strict teacher cared more about us than all the other teachers, and that there was a reason for their sternness. By refusing to sell out their students for momentary popularity, they did us the favor of a lifetime."

Becoming an Extern

The externship program is open to students in good academic standing who have completed 57 credit hours. Priority for placements is generally given to students with no prior clinical experience. Students may earn up to 10 credit hours toward their degree through externship placements.

Students also have the opportunity to initiate their own externship placements by seeking approval from the Cooley Faculty Curriculum Committee.

Externship Placements at Cooley

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This Page was last updated on: 06/07/2005