Externship Program

In its mission to offer exceptional and diversified educational programs, Southwestern developed an Externship Program to deliver rich experiential education to a large number of its students. The Program offers students the opportunity to gain legal education through real-life practical experiences, by externing at a select number of approved off-campus placements, primarily with government agencies, public interest entities, state and federal judges, and the legal departments of select organizations, including the entertainment industry. The Program includes a wide variety of fieldwork opportunities for Southwestern students - throughout  the greater Los Angeles area as well as in other locations. The Externship Program enhances the students' legal education through hands-on experience as well as observation of the practice of law, with structures and appropriate supervision. Externships are also a great opportunity for students to refine educational goals and test career goals. The objectives of the Externship Program are to help students:

• Develop and improve professional skills;
• Develop the ability to solve legal problems in real-life situations;
• Reflect on values and responsibilities of the legal profession;
• Adjust to the role of the legal profession; and
• Learn how to learn from experience.
  
  

A message from Professor Anahid Gharakhanian, Director of the Externship Program.

In order to reflect on the externship experience and optimize the benefit derived from it, externs must participate online in "Guided Reflections," discussing topics such as goals for the externship, reflecting on their training, discussing ethical concerns that may have come up, etc. The "Guided Reflections" are supervised by faculty advisors.

Externs are also required to maintain weekly time sheets and work product files during their externships for review by a faculty member. In addition, each full-time extern must submit an 8 to 10 page critical commentary at the end of the externship.

Students are encouraged to visit the Externship Office in W231 to learn more about Southwestern's rich and diverse Externship Program and start planning ahead for placements they may be interested in. In addition, students should attend Externship Day and the Externship Open Forum to find out more about the Externship Program and placement opportunities.