IV. Externship Policies

A student may receive academic credit for uncompensated legal work in an externship if the student works for a state or federal judge (including a federal magistrate or bankruptcy judge) or a government or non-profit organization. A student may not receive externship credit if he or she receives any financial compensation for the work. An externship with a state or federal judge does not require prior approval of the desired placement. However, the Director of Externships must approve any placement with a government or non-profit organization, determining whether the desired placement will involve the type and nature of work worthy of academic credit and appropriate attorney supervision of the work. During an externship placement a student must complete all course requirements including, but not limited to, timesheets and contemporaneous, faculty-guided reflection work. A student desiring to receive academic credit for an externship must fill out an application form and receive approval from the Director of Externships and the Assistant Dean for LL.M. and International Programs to enroll in an externship course prior to registering for such a course. All of the credit/no credit units earned in a part-time externship count toward the 18-credit limit on the number of non-regularly scheduled class room units that a student may take.

A graduate tax student may receive academic credit for uncompensated legal work in an externship if the student works for a state or federal judge, a government agency, a non- profit organization, or a for-profit entity. The Director of Externships must approve any placement, determining that the desired placement will involve the type and nature of work worthy of academic credit and appropriate attorney supervision of the work. In addition, in consultation with the Academic Director of the Tax Program, the Director of Externships shall determine that the type and nature of work is sufficiently focused on tax law to merit academic credit towards the completion of the Graduate Tax Program. A graduate tax student may not receive externship credit if he or she receives any financial compensation for the work.

During an externship placement a graduate tax student must complete all course requirements including, but not limited to, timesheets and contemporaneous, faculty-guided reflection work. A graduate tax student desiring to receive academic credit for an externship must fill out an application form and receive approval to enroll in an externship course prior to registering for such a course.

General LL.M. students may not enroll in a summer externship course. A graduate tax student may enroll in a summer externship course for 4 units, credit/no credit, for which the student must complete a minimum of 168 hours of work over the course of the summer. Students may earn no more than four credits for summer externships, regardless of whether the externship is on a full-time or part-time basis. A summer externship student will register for and earn credit for the externship in the fall semester following the summer placement. A student shall enroll in the fall externship course that correlates to her or his placement. To earn the externship credit, a summer externship student must participate in the academic component of the course. During the summer the academic component will follow a format designed to foster reflective learning and communication among students while accommodating students’ schedules and geographic dispersion.

An LL.M. student or a graduate tax student in their second semester may enroll in a part-time externship course during the academic year for 4 units, credit/no credit, for which the student must complete 168 hours of work respectively over the course of the semester. A student extern is required to attend and participate in the appropriate classroom sessions. A general LL.M. student may participate in a part-time academic year externship only with approval from the Director of Externships and the Assistant Dean of LL.M. and International Student Programs. A graduate tax student may participate in a part-time academic year externship only with approval from the Director of Externships and the Academic Director of the Graduate Tax Program.

LL.M. students and graduate tax students may not participate in full-time externships.

General LL.M. students may not enroll in more than one externship course. A graduate tax student who completed an externship during the spring semester may enroll in a second externship during the following summer. Graduate tax students who enroll in a second externship during the summer must participate in the academic component of the course as do other summer externs and will earn 4 credits (only) for a minimum of 168 hours of work. A graduate tax student may not enroll in more than two externships during the course of studies, and may not enroll in more than one externship in an academic semester.