The law school conducts an extensive externship
program, providing upper-level students opportunities to learn from supervised
legal work. In Practice Externship, third-year students gain academic
credit while working 12 to 15 hours per week for various public or nonprofit
agencies. In Judicial Externship, third year, and second-semester second-year students,
can work for magistrate, trial, bankruptcy, appellate, and state supreme court
judges. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the United States District Court student
practice rules permit students to appear in court or administrative hearings
on behalf of clients. These ungraded (credit/no credit) enrollments earn 6
credits for two semesters, 3 or 4 credits for one semester. Externship enrollment (for
3-6 credits depending on schedule) is also available during the summer semester
for unpaid work experiences similar to those offered during the year, but are
not limited to the Camden area, as the class component is held online.
Among the participating law offices and chambers
are the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; United States
District Court for New Jersey; United States Attorney's offices in New Jersey
and Pennsylvania; Camden, Mercer, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties
Prosecutors' Offices; the District Attorney of Philadelphia; Camden and Federal
Public Defenders; several hospital and university general counsel offices;
regional legal counsel offices of several federal departments, including the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board,
and Internal Revenue Service; and state governmental offices, including the
Attorney General of New Jersey and the Public Employee Relations Commission.
The supervising professors can assist students with specific needs, such as
commuters or part-time students, to identify other appropriate placements.
Students working at these placements may conduct research and factual investigation,
write bench memos and opinions, interview clients or witnesses, observe and
assist experienced attorneys in complex matters, and appear in court on behalf
of clients. The program provides valuable professional development experience
and assists the school in serving the community. In addition to their
activities at the fieldwork placements, externship students take part in a
seminar and write journal reports tailored to enhancing and reflecting on what
they are learning from the work experience.
Students who wish to participate in the
externship program must meet the following prerequisites:
- successful completion of course 601:667 Professional Responsibility;
- for any student taking a placement requiring appearance as a lawyer in court,
successful completion of 601:691 Evidence; and
-
for any student taking a placement in a criminal litigation agency, either
successful completion of or concurrent enrollment in 601:655 Criminal
Procedure: The Investigatory Process or 601:656 Criminal Procedure: The
Adjudication Process.
Individual placements may have other requirements. The externship
information webpage is regularly updated to reflect this information. It
is accessible publicly at http://camlaw.rutgers.edu/externship.
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