JMLS - Judicial Externship Program

Instruction in professional skills. Through practical experience and critique, students develop their professional skills, including their knowledge of legal analysis, legal writing, and legal process.   

To allow students to learn from practical experience. Each student is in a work setting similar to that of a law clerk, which allows each student to learn about decision making, effective work scheduling, and professional responsibility.   

Understanding the Judicial System. Each student will work individually with a judge in the state or federal system. The opportunity to see how judges and attorneys work will give students the opportunity to consider where they would like to work within the legal profession. 

The following documents are required to apply:

• a letter of intent to Program Director Susann MacLachlan (stating intent to be a judicial extern, during which semester);   
• two copies of a resume;   
• two copies of a writing sample.
• two copies of a students transcript

Acceptance is made upon the following criteria:

• a personal interview with Susann MacLachlan;   
• a personal interview with the Judge in question;   
• academic credentials;   
• work experience.

Decisions regarding acceptance into the program are made in September (for the Spring Semester) and February (for the Summer and Fall Semesters).

Student Obligations and Evaluation of Student's Performance:

• Once registered, students are required to work approximately four hours per week for each academic credit for the semester or, for example, 180 hours for the entire semester for 3 hours of credit. Students may not receive any compensation for work performed during the externship.   
• Students are required:
  1) to keep detailed time sheets during the course of the semester;
  2) to attend court hearings pertinent to their placement;
  3) to draft at least one written document, such as a bench memo or draft opinion;
  4) to prepare a written evaluation of the placement at the end of the semester;
  5) to attend a classroom component.

Students shall be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

• grading will be based on a pass-fail basis;   
• evaluation of student time sheets by extern director;   
• evaluation of student performance by judge in question;   
• attendance at classroom sessions and individual meetings with extern director.
• site visit

Clinical Adjunct Faculty & Field Supervisors:

• Several judges, from both the State and Federal Courts, along with their clerks, function as field supervisors for the extern program.   
• The field supervisors will work closely with the student on a regular basis throughout the semester in order to direct and evaluate the student's field experience. Supervisors will endeavor to provide as broad and meaningful an experience as possible. Students will not be utilized in clerical positions, but rather will be exposed to various skills employed by lawyers through participation or observation and critique.   
• The law school shall make its teaching resources available to field supervisors to enhance the teaching effectiveness of field supervisors. Field supervisors will be consulted for input to improve the educational quality of field placements as well as the nature of instruction received by students prior to placement with a supervisor. The director of the law school extern program will periodically review the programs conducted by field supervisors to ensure the program meets its educational objectives. Pursuant to interpretation 2 of Standard 306 of the American Bar Association regarding Field Placement, in conducting such a review, the director will consider the time devoted by the student to the field placement, the task assigned to the student, selected work products of the student and the field supervisor's engagement of the student on a regular basis in a detailed evaluation of the student's field experience. Field supervisors will be evaluated each semester by the director.