Our experiential learning curriculum includes a wide variety of externship opportunities. In externships, students spend their time working for course credit, not payment, at a field-placement site under the supervision of a practicing attorney or judge.
This unique experience allows students to receive credit for learning on the job, typically in government or public service sectors, but also in other settings. Externships also include an instructional component, and students receive mentoring and supervision from an in-house Law School faculty member as well.
Eligibility
To participate, students must have completed their first year of law school. A student's eligibility to participate in any Law School internship or externship program is contingent on the student's being in good standing, both academically and with respect to disciplinary matters.
A student's placement in an internship or externship program may be denied or revoked if the Law School determines that a student's conduct or academic performance makes that placement inappropriate for any reason.
Externships & Internships
Government and Legislative Clinic
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.
| Area of Law | State and Federal Administrative Law |
|---|---|
| Program Start | Fall, Spring |
| Length of Program and Credits | 1-2 semesters: Fall (3-5 cr) and/or Spring (3-5 cr) |
| Classes Eligible | 2L & 3L |
| Prerequisites | None (Administrative Law highly recommended) |
| Director | Erin McBride |
| Director Contact | erin.mcbride@wisc.edu |
Law Externship (General)
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. Interested students should attend the Externship informational presentation offered by the Office of Career & Professional Development (OCPD) each semester and watch the OCPD newsletter for details about registration.
| Area of Law | Varies |
|---|---|
| Program Start | Summer, Fall, Spring |
| Length of Program and Credits | Summer or 1-2 semesters (variable cr) |
| Classes Eligible | 2L & 3L |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Director | Elizabeth Ireland |
| Director Contact | eireland2@wisc.edu |
Judicial Externship Program
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.
| Area of Law | State or Federal Law |
|---|---|
| Program Start | Summer, Fall, Spring |
| Length of Program and Credits | Offered every summer and semester. Students usually take the course for 4 credits during the fall or spring semester. |
| Classes Eligible | 2L & 3L |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Director | Elizabeth Ireland |
| Director Contact | eireland2@wisc.edu |
Prosecution Project
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. .
| Area of Law | Criminal Prosecution |
|---|---|
| Program Start | Spring |
| Length of Program and Credits | 1 year: Spring (3 cr seminar + 2 cr trial advocacy) + Summer externship + Fall (2 cr ethics) |
| Classes Eligible | 2L only |
| Prerequisites | Criminal Procedure |
| Director | Lanny Glinberg |
| Director Contact | lanny.glinberg@wisc.edu |
Experiential Learning Resources
