Judicial Clerkship Externship

Catalog description

This externship placement combines a field placement as a clerk in the chambers of a trial or appellate judge with a weekly seminar focusing on various aspects of civil litigation and the judicial process. The fieldwork component requires each student to work approximately 12 to 15 hours per week as a judicial clerk in state or federal court. Students’ responsibilities include extensive research and writing on issues assigned by the judge. In addition, they submit weekly journals describing their placement experiences. Integrating theory with litigation practice through simulations, the seminar component focuses on judicial decision-making, utilizing readings, student journals, and discussions of issues arising from the field placements.