Students work side-by-side with legal counsel at state or local government agencies, non-profits, university offices, or other field placements. Students also meet weekly for a seminar, which adds context and support for their work. The class examines the processes, purposes, efficacy, and limitations of regulation through an administrative regime. Students gain a deeper understanding of federal and state legislative process, legislative drafting, statutory interpretation, constitutional restrictions on lawmaking, legislative advocacy, lobbying accountability and disclosure, and ethical issues confronting government lawyers. Students participate in a broad range of policy work and legislative activity, e.g., drafting proposed legislation, preparing staff for committee hearings and meetings with legislators, conducting research and analysis to develop legislative solutions to public policy issues, or responding to individual constituent concerns.

Government and Legislative Clinic

The Law Externship allows students to seek out new externship work sites and receive academic credit for their work. Students work at a variety of government, corporate, non-profit, or university legal counsel offices. Students apply directly to an externship site and once they secure a position, request to receive credit for the field placement. This may require approval of a new placement site. For students with some flexibility, school-year externships outside of Wisconsin also can be arranged, and it is possible for a student to earn as many as 12 credits for an externship outside of Wisconsin. Students must work 45 hours per credit earned.

Law Externship Opportunities

In the Judicial Externship Program, students work with trial and appellate judges and view the judicial process from the perspective of the decision maker. Placements may include the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Dane County Circuit Courts, and the United States District Courts in both Milwaukee and Madison. Students learn about the work of judges and their law clerks and can evaluate the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of lawyers appearing before the courts. The actual work performed may vary from judge to judge, but the emphasis is on legal research and writing.

Judicial Externship Program

Administered by faculty in the Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, the Legal Technology Externship places students in one-semester positions in product development roles at legal technology start-ups. In their placements, students use their legal knowledge and reasoning skills as part of cross-functional teams to help in the development of tools for the next generation of lawyers. The classroom component includes speakers from the legal tech industry and academics interested in legal technology, technology generally and the future of the legal profession.

Students are placed with tribal offices or state government tribal liaison offices.This externship option offers a unique opportunity to gain exposure to, and experience working on, a Native Nation territory or reservation, working with tribal lawyers, and actively providing legal assistance on uniquely Native Nation legal matters. Students have, for example, been placed with Lac Courte Oreilles Office of the Attorney General, Wisconsin Judicare Indian Law Office, Wisconsin DNR Tribal Liaison, and the Oneida Nation. Students also attend a weekly seminar class that adds context and support for their work and introduces them to tribal lawyers, leaders, elders, and UW Law alumni.

The Prosecution Project is a combination of course work and an externship placement in a Wisconsin prosecutor’s office. In the spring of their 2L year, students take two courses: Trial Advocacy and the Prosecution Function. They then work during the summer in their externship, with placements available all over Wisconsin. Students may work for credit or for a summer stipend (without course credit). Students develop competency, craftsmanship, and creativity in responding to the public safety challenges facing our communities. For more than 25 years, Wisconsin district attorney offices have partnered with the Law School to sponsor our externs. These partnerships have provided both a challenging learning experience for law students and a helpful service to local communities. During the following fall semester, students must enroll in a related course that focuses on ethical issues in criminal-law practice. .

Prosecution Project Homepage

The Public Defender Project is a combination of course work and an externship placement in the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office. 2L students take two courses in spring: Trial Advocacy and the Defense Function. They then work during the summer in State Public Defender Offices, with placements available all over Wisconsin. Students may work for credit or for a summer stipend (without course credit). During their summer work, students may handle all aspects of clients’ cases, from initial appearance through trial. In addition to defending clients in criminal matters, our students also provide representation in revocations, civil commitments regarding mental health, and juvenile proceedings. During the following fall semester, students must enroll in a related course that focuses on ethical issues in criminal-defense practice.

Public Defender Project Homepage