The Holistic Defense Externship is a unique, interdisciplinary partnership between Wayne Law and the Wayne State School of Social Work. In this program, law and social work students conduct their fieldwork at one of our placement sites practicing holistic defense. Holistic defense is a multifaceted approach to legal representation that recognizes the many social and legal challenges that can drive an individual into the criminal legal system and the collateral or enmeshed consequences that may result from an individual's contact with the system. These potential consequences include effects on a person's immigration status, housing and employment opportunities, access to public benefits, voting rights and the custody of children. Holistic defense seeks to serve a client's myriad legal and social needs in addition to defending against the imposition of traditional criminal penalties. While models of holistic defense vary, at its core, the practice involves an interdisciplinary collaboration between various professionals, such as criminal, civil, immigration and family defense attorneys, social workers and other types of advocates.

In addition to performing their fieldwork, law and social work students will enroll in the Holistic Defense Seminar through the School of Social Work, where students will develop the interdisciplinary capacities required to be effective holistic practitioners. Law students will also enroll in the Holistic Defense Externship Colloquium, a Law School course that involves a detailed study of enmeshed consequences, the interrelation between various legal systems (e.g., criminal, immigration, family, housing and employment) and how practitioners in these legal fields collaborate to provide comprehensive representation to clients.

The Holistic Defense Externship will be offered once a year, in the Fall term.  Our placement partners for the Fall 2022 term are the Federal Community Defender Office, the Neighborhood Defender Services of Detroit, the State Appellate Defender Office, the Michigan Children's Law Center and the Detroit Justice Center. 

Externship requirements 

Students must complete 150 hours of fieldwork at an approved placement site. Students must also enroll in the Holistic Defense Externship Colloquium, Holistic Defense Externship Practicum, and Holistic Defense Seminar. Professional Responsibility and the Legal Profession is a prerequisite/co-requisite to enrollment in this externship.  Please note: only credits earned for the Holistic Defense Externship Colloquium (2 cr.) and Holistic Defense Externship Practicum (2 cr.) count toward the Law School's Experiential Learning Requirement.  Credits earned for the Holistic Defense Seminar (2 cr.) and Professional Responsibility and the Legal Profession (2 cr.) do not count toward the Experiential Learning Requirement, but the Seminar does count as one of the 4 graduate level courses that students are permitted to take. (See Academic Regulations I.D.3., I.G., and V.F.2.c.).  For a more complete description of these courses, students are advised to consult the course listings page.  

How to apply 

Information on how to apply to this externship can be found here.  

Questions

Contact Professor Daniel Ellman, Director of Externships (lawexternships@wayne.edu).