Externships: Information for Field Supervisors

(If you are a student interested in externships, please click here.)

Students may extern in a legal or law-related setting for academic credit under the supervision of a licensed attorney, judge, legislator, certified mediator, or an individual otherwise qualified to supervise (the "field supervisor").  The Externship Field Supervisor Handbook covers the externship program’s educational objectives, summarizes academic requirements, and outlines field supervisors’ responsibilities.  Externs will inform their Field Supervisors about the due date for the Field Supervisor's Assessment Form.

William & Mary's 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

William & Mary offers the following externships: 

  • Federal Government Externship with executive or legislative agencies, Congressional committees, and members of Congress.
  • Judicial Externship with judges, hearing officers, courts, and organizations that provide research, educational, and management services to judges and courts.
  • Nonprofit Organization Externship with civil legal services/legal aid organizations and U.S. private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3), (c)(4), or (c)(5) organizations. Organizations outside the U.S. qualify if they are nonprofit organizations that would qualify for 501(c)(3), (c)(4), or (c)(5) status if they were U.S. organizations.  Externs are prohibited from assisting with partisan political activities and lobbying.
  • Private Practice/In House Counsel Externship with solo practitioners, law firms, and in-house law departments of corporations and trade associations.
  • Prosecutor Externship with state and local prosecutors. 
  • Public Defender Externship with federal, state, and local public defenders.
  • State/Local Government Externship with state or local government agencies and offices, such as city/county attorneys; attorneys general; executive or legislative agencies; and state legislators. Placements with prosecutors and public defenders are covered by their respective externships described above.
  • U.S. Attorney Externship with the civil or criminal divisions of U.S. Attorney offices.

For questions or additional information, please contact Professor Erin Hendrickson, Director of Externships, or Katherine Bailey, Program Administrator for Externships and Public Service.