The externship program enables you to work with practicing attorneys for academic credit and provides supervision for practice in trial and appellate courts, federal and state government entities and public interest organizations. You will perform legal tasks and apply your academic studies to real cases, gaining valuable insight into the operation of legal institutions. You will gain significant legal experience in areas such as interviewing, researching, drafting, negotiating, counseling clients and/or alternative dispute resolution. Externships are unpaid positions that require prescreening. To be eligible for placement, you must have completed a minimum of 45 hours and have at least a 2.5 GPA.
What are the course requirements?
You can enroll for 1, 2, or 3 credits in the fall, spring or summer semesters. The first time you enroll in the course you must attend the classroom component. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis. You must complete a minimum of 60 hours in the legal placement for each credit earned. Finally, you must submit, on a weekly basis, timesheets which are signed by a supervising attorney, and a reflective journal on your experience in the placement.
How do I find a placement?
The school has a list of pre-approved placements to which you can apply for an externship. See 'Externship Placement,' for a partial listing of prior placements. However, you must first complete an application and see the externship director before contacting the placements directly.
Students can also identify opportunities not on the list. However, if a student identifies an opportunity not on the pre-approved list, the student must first get approval of the placement with the externship director prior to committing to the placement. At a minimum, the placement should have an attorney who is supervising the student and who has 5 years experience and is in good standing with the bar. The student must be doing legal work in the placement and cannot be compensated for his/her work. See 'Supervising Attorney Requirements' for further information.
How do I apply?
Fill out the application, submit it along with your resume to the externship director and make an appointment with the director to discuss your potential placement.
For more information contact, Cecily Becker, director of externship programs, cbecker@law.txwes.edu, or at 817-212-4058.