Externships

Externships - Bringing the Law to Life

The UBalt Law Externship Program engages students in real life experiences with practicing lawyers and judges. In addition to their work in the field, students participate in a course component where they develop professionalism skills necessary to becoming self-directed learners. Through the program, students can explore a particular area of practice and observe different lawyering styles and techniques. Externships promote the development of key competencies such as legal analysis, research and writing, interviewing and counseling, negotiation, policy-making and advocacy.

The UBalt Law Externship Program has special program requirements. Students will focus on identifying specific learning goals and the importance of learning from observation and reflection. Participation in the externship program involves working while taking an externship course.

Eligibility

• J.D. students may participate in the UBalt Law Externship Program if they have completed 28 credits (generally the entire 1L curriculum)

• Tax L.L.M. Program students may participate in an externship with advance permission of the faculty advisor to the L.L.M. program.

Securing a Position

• Organizations interested in working with law students post positions on UB Law Connect or through other job boards.

• Students should start looking at least two to three months in advance of the semester in which they would like to complete an externship. Students may identify an organization on their own and then submit it for approval after they have secured an offer.

• For the Corporate Counsel and Public Interest Lawyering programs, the Externship Program may direct students to available placements.

• Students interested in exploring externship options should schedule an advising appointment on UB Law Connect with a career counselor at the Law Career Development Office or with Prof. Neha Lall, the Director of Externships.

Externship Curriculum Rules

• Field placements at which a close relative (by blood, adoption, or marriage) works are presumptively inappropriate for an externship placement. Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to extern with a law firm where a parent or other close relative is a partner or founder.
  
  
• No student may repeat the same externship course, including the Advanced Externship course
  
  
• Externship credits are capped at 9 credits (3 separate externships)
  
  
• Students may only do two externships at the same placement
  
  
• Students are limited to one externship per semester
  
  
• Externships are considered non-classroom credits, which are capped at 12 total. Other non-classroom credit activities include moot court, journals and fellows placements.
  
  
• Externships may be paid or unpaid. Special application rules apply to paid externships.

Employer Information

If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Neha Lall.

 

Neha Lall Director of Externships Professor of the Practice, nlall@ubalt.edu

Liz Solar, Assistant Director of Externships and Career Counselor, esolar@ubalt.edu