Externships

UC Irvine School of Law places a strong emphasis on experiential learning and offers various opportunities for students to provide legal services directly to the community. A key component is the Externship Program, which provides academic credit for students doing legal work for judges, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

In addition to working a minimum number of hours in their placement, students will need to complete a classroom component and other academic requirements in order to earn credit. Most externship credit will be graded credit/no credit. 

More information about externships:

• Requirements
• Application Process
• Externship Policy
• Online Externship Catalog
  (a searchable catalog that contains judicial and non-judicial opportunities, currently under construction)
• Judicial Placements
  (information about particular judges and how to apply to them)

Program Goals

The UCI Externship Program's primary goals and the methods employed to achieve those goals include:

• Further developing the student's professional identity through participating in, and reflecting upon, the work of legal institutions;
• Increasing the student's understanding of the fundamental values of the legal profession including a commitment to a broad view of problem solving, promoting access to justice, and an ongoing process of self-growth through practice, feedback and reflection;
• Further developing the student's understanding of professional responsibility through observation of, and participation in legal practice;
• Improving the student's research, writing and analytic skills through drafting documents such as bench memoranda, legal memoranda, pleadings and orders upon which students are expected to receive detailed feedback;
• Improving the student's oral advocacy skills through observation of legal practitioners making such presentations and engaging in informal presentations themselves; and
• Increasing the student's knowledge of substantive law thorough work on legal issues on behalf of the placement organization.

• Policy
• Application Process
• Requirements for Externs
• Online Registration System

• UCDC Law Information page

• Part-Time Placement Supervisor Agreement (PDF)
• Full-Time Placement Supervisor Agreement (PDF)
• Full-Time Faculty Supervisor Agreement (PDF)