Gain First-Hand Legal Experience with Real-World Practice
The University of San Diego School of Law’s Externship Program offers students a transformative opportunity to cultivate professional connections, earn academic credit and acquire invaluable practical skills.
Immerse yourself in the dynamic realm of day-to-day legal practice through collaboration with influential legal experts in government agencies, non-profit organizations, local businesses, courthouses and law firms. This real-world experience will enable you to better navigate the complexities of the legal field with confidence.
Earn one academic credit for every 50 hours of legal work. Additionally, compensation may be available. The Externship Program includes a pass/fail course combining the field placement with academic elements to ensure a comprehensive educational experience. A law school externship allows students to enhance their classroom learning and develop practical skills.
Hands-On Educational Opportunities
Field Placement Program
Gain an advantageous opportunity to work alongside accomplished legal professionals. Combine dynamic classroom learning with desired law student placements to build a strong foundation for a successful legal career.
- Agency Externship
- Corporate Counsel Externship
- Education Law Externship
- Judicial Externship
- Corporate Tech Externship
- Intellectual Property (IP) Externships
- Law Firm Externship
Our Agency Externship program is designed to foster students’ professional growth through positions with local government agencies or nonprofit organizations.
During the academic or summer semesters, students can earn up to six academic credits for work at an approved employer. In exceptional cases, enrollment for additional credits may be granted subject to approval from the Faculty Supervisor. For every 50 hours of externship work, students earn one unit of pass/fail academic credit. The timeframe for earning academic credit extends from the start of classes until the last day of final exams. Externship work completed outside this period may be counted as pro bono hours if students do not receive compensation for hours worked.
To enroll, please fill out the Agency Externship form. For more information, contact Professor Kimberly Gosling at kgosling@sandiego.edu.
Hands-On Educational Opportunities
Other Experiential Learning Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
Externships are listed in the “OCI and Job Listings” tab in #HireUSDLaw. Engage with an advisor to discuss law placement opportunities tailored to your interest or even propose a new externship, subject to faculty approval.
The University of San Diego School of Law’s Field Placement Program offers a vast array of opportunities to collaborate with national and local government agencies, nonprofit and public interest organizations, law firms, businesses and courts. Each externship empowers students to immerse themselves in real-world legal scenarios, acquire invaluable knowledge and earn academic credit along the way. Students interested in pursuing a legal career in the corporate world may choose to assist the legal department of a local business entity or law firm that supports companies in areas such as corporate formation, financings, M&A, contracting or employment. Those with a passion for intellectual property law may choose to work with local law firms or companies that provide legal assistance to inventors, artists, musicians, tech and media companies, in the areas of patents, copyrights, trademarks or trade secrets. We are committed to creating law student placements that align with your academic interests and professional ambitions, propelling you toward a fulfilling legal career.
Through the Field Placement Program, law students earn one academic credit for every 50 hours worked, with no limit on the total credits that can be earned. In addition, students may be compensated for their work by the employer if the employer offers compensation. We recognize that allowing students to receive compensation in addition to academic credit is a valuable way to enhance their learning experience while supporting their financial needs.
Students have the opportunity to earn one academic credit for every 50 hours of legal work completed through our Field Placement Program. The total number of academic credits a student can earn depends on the number of hours worked and each externship program’s specific requirements. There is no limit to the academic credits law students can earn through our Field Placement Program. To learn more about the externship program’s requirements, students are advised to review the Field Placement Program Manual for Agency Externship and Corporate Counsel Externship.
The duration of the Field Placement Program varies depending upon the specific externship selected.
We welcome enrollment during academic semesters,the summer months or both. Students are advised to learn more about each program’s specific requirements and credit hours by consulting with their supervisory faculty and reviewing our Field Placement Program Manual for Agency Externship and Corporate Counsel Externship.
The work completed by each law student is dependent upon the specific externship program and placement selected. We are committed to offering an extensive array of opportunities for our externs to acquire valuable knowledge and experience in government agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses and law firms working on a variety of cases in different areas of the law. Students interested in patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret law may choose an IP Externship where they will work at a law firm or business that supports individuals and tech companies, while students who prefer learning about corporate formation, financings, M&A, contracting and employment law may opt for a Corporate Counsel Externship. Students are encouraged to refer to our Field Placement Program Manual for Agency Externship and Corporate Counsel Externship to learn more about the various types of legal work available through our program.
Every student is assigned a highly skilled supervising attorney or mentor as part of their field placement. We recognize that being mentored by a consummate professional who is an expert in their field is essential to a student’s growth and development as a legal professional, and we are committed to ensuring this level of support is included in every externship. The mentor or supervising attorney is not only there to teach students, but also to provide meaningful guidance, answer questions and give valuable feedback. We are dedicated to creating a learning environment that allows students to gain the knowledge, insight and skills necessary to create long-term success in their chosen legal profession.
The University of San Diego School of Law is honored to support each student through their impactful journey in our Field Placement Program.
- In addition to learning more about the program in our Placement Program Manual for Agency Externship and Corporate Counsel Externship, we encourage students to reach out to the Office of Career and Professional Development at (619) 260-4529 or lawcareers@sandiego.edu.
- To learn more about the Agency or Corporate Counsel Externship's academic component, students may contact Professor John Sansone, Academic Director, Externship Programs at (619) 322-0506 or jsansone@sandiego.edu.
- Students may visit our Judicial Externship Program page to learn more about the Judicial Externship Program.
- To learn more about our Corporate Tech and IP Externship Programs, students may contact Professor Ted Sichelman at tsichelman@sandiego.edu.