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Externships

Externships provide a unique opportunity for students to work in a professional setting outside the Law School while earning academic credits. The program requires students work at an approved placement during the semester and take a companion externship course. The course enhances the student experience by assisting in the development of essential practical skills, professional skills, values, and judgment. By emphasizing self-reflection, externships not only offer invaluable practical experience but ensure students have the capacity for self-directed professional growth beyond their law school years.

The Externship Program currently offers the following programs: the Public Service Externship, Holistic Defense Externship, Judicial Externship, and Corporate Counsel Externship. 

For more information, view the Externship FAQs below or email Assistant Professor (Clinical) Daniel Ellman, director of externships, at lawexternships@wayne.edu.

Details regarding prerequisites, program requirements and application processes are outlined at the links below. 

Externship Course Offerings: Annual Schedule

Beginning in the Summer 2022 term, the Externship Program will offer its programs according to the following annual schedule:

Fall terms

Holistic Defense Externship
Corporate Counsel Externship

Winter terms

Public Service Externship
Judicial Externship

Summer terms

Public Service Externship
Judicial Externship
Corporate Counsel Externship

Upcoming Application Schedule

Oct. 10, 2024 - Applications open for:

  • Judicial Externship (Winter 2025)
  • Public Service Externship (Winter 2025)

Dec. 18, 2024 - or whenever a course reaches capacity, whichever is sooner - Applications close for:

  • Judicial Externship (Winter 2025)
  • Public Service Externship (Winter 2025)

Feb. 3, 2025 - Applications open for:

  • Judicial Externship (Summer 2025)
  • Public Service Externship (Summer 2025)
  • Corporate Counsel (Summer 2025)
  • Holistic Defense (Fall 2025)* (note this application is for Fall term)

Feb. 28, 2025 - Applications close for:

  • Corporate Counsel (Summer 2025)
  • Holistic Defense (Fall 2025)

April 28, 2025 -  or whenever a course reaches capacity, whichever sooner - Applications close for:

  • Judicial Externship (Summer 2025)
  • Public Service Externship (Summer 2025)

May 27, 2025 - Applications open for:

  • Corporate Counsel (Fall 2025)

June 17, 2025 - Applications open for:

  • Corporate Counsel (Fall 2025)

Announcements

  • Compensation - An extern may accept compensation for their fieldwork. This compensation may come directly from the field placement site or from an outside source, such as, but not limited to, a grant, stipend, or scholarship. Students may also receive reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to their fieldwork, such as, but not limited to, transportation costs or parking at the field placement. Any compensation or reimbursement must be arranged by the extern and the field placement or outside source. See Wayne Law Externship Standards.
  • Field Placement Location - In the Fall and Winter terms, all field placements must be located within 180 miles driving distance of the Law School. If a field placement has multiple offices, the office where the extern will do most of their work must be within 180 miles driving distance of the Law School. In the Summer term, a field placement may be located outside 180 miles driving distance of the Law School (i.e., locally, nationally, or internationally).  Regardless of the term, all students must work at an approved placement site. If a student wishes to have a placement site added to the approved list, they should email Professor Daniel Ellman (lawexternships@wayne.edu) as soon as possible.  The final day to request the addition of a placement site for the Summer term is Feb. 29.  There is no guarantee that a placement site can be added. See Wayne Law Externship Standards.
  • Summer Colloquium Courses - During the Summer terms only, it is anticipated that the classroom component of the Colloquium for each externship course will be offered remotely.

Contacts

For students: If you have questions, please contact Assistant Professor (Clinical) Daniel Ellman, Director of Externships (lawexternships@wayne.edu).

For donors: Please consider investing in the work of the clinics by making a gift. Visit giving.wayne.edu or contact Rob MacGregor, senior director of philanthropy, at (313) 577-4141 or rmacgregor@wayne.edu.

Externship FAQ

  • How do I view the list of externship placements?

    You can complete an externship at one of Wayne Law's approved placement sites. Placements include prosecutors' and public defenders' offices, courts, corporate counsel offices, and public interest organizations.  A list of approved placements is available on Canvas (Law School Experiential Learning page). You must log in with your access ID and password to view the list. If you cannot access the list, email lawexternships@wayne.edu for assistance.  Please note that students will not be given access to the list of approved placement sites before the second term of their 1L year. 

    View approved placements

  • What are externships?

    Externships are an academic program that allows students to earn credit for work at an approved placement with a court, nonprofit organization, state or federal agency, or in-house counsel program. Students enroll in the colloquium which is a course that supplements a student's experience at the approved externship placement.  

  • Am I eligible to participate in an externship?

    If you are a J.D. student, you must have completed all required first-year courses, have a grade point average of at least 2.0, and have passed or be enrolled in Professional Responsibility to be eligible for an externship.

    If you are an LL.M. student, you must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, have completed the equivalent of the first-year courses, and have passed or be enrolled in Professional Responsibility to be eligible for an externship. As an LL.M. student, your externship placement must be related to your concentration.

  • How many credits are externships?

    When you elect to take an externship, you must complete the externship colloquium, the externship practicum, and perform at least 150 hours of work at an approved placement site during the same semester. The colloquium and the practicum are 2 credits each. In total, a student will receive 4 credits for successfully completing an externship. 

  • Is there a maximum number of externship credits I can count towards the completion of my degree?

    You can take no more than eight credit hours in the externship program. There is also a 14-credit maximum on clinics and externships combined. 

  • How do I apply for an externship?

    Please see the application process detailed here.