Externships
Externs work in a legal or law-related setting for academic credit under the supervision of a licensed attorney, judge, legislator, or certified mediator (the "field supervisor"). The Externship Field Supervisor Handbook covers the externship program’s educational objectives, summarizes academic requirements, and outlines field supervisors’ responsibilities. The externship program is governed by both the American Bar Association’s Standards and Executive Committee Regulations of the Association of American Law Schools.
Types of Externships
All externships are offered during summer, fall, and spring semesters and are eligible for 1, 2, or 3 credits per semester, except as noted below. Each credit requires 40 hours of unpaid work. Externs also attend classes, submit journals, and prepare a final report.
- Federal Government Externships with executive or legislative agencies of the U.S. government and Congressional committees or members of Congress (excluding partisan political work).
- Judicial Externships with judges, courts, and organizations that provide research, educational, and management services to judges and courts
- Nonprofit Organization Externships with civil legal services and legal aid organizations and private nonprofit organizations
- Private Practice and In-house Counsel Externships with solo practitioners, law firms, and in-house law departments of for-profit entities
- Prosecutor Externships with state and local prosecutors
- Public Defender Externships with federal, state, and local public defenders
- State and Local Government Externships with city or county attorneys, attorneys general, and executive or legislative agencies
- U.S. Attorney Externships with civil or criminal divisions of U.S. Attorney offices
- Virginia Attorney General Externships
To arrange an externship
Please contact Robert E. Kaplan, Associate Dean and Director of Externships, at rekapl@wm.edu or 757-221-3804 if your organization is interested in arranging an externship.
