Courses and Events

In order to receive the appropriate credits you will need to:

• Complete 50 hours of unpaid work for one unit, or 100 hours of unpaid work for two units and so forth.
• Submit 3 guided, reflective journals.
• Attend bi-weekly workshops which will assist you in your externship by developing professional skills, increasing your knowledge of the United Kingdom legal and political systems in order to help you better engage in the workplace, and improving your networking and career development strategy. Students will need to register for this zero-unit, non-graded workshop as a component of the externship.
• Receive a positive evaluation from your externship sponsor.
• Return all required evaluation forms to the office.

• Externships give students an opportunity to gain valuable legal experience.
• It will help you decide the sort of legal career you wish to pursue – or perhaps do not wish to pursue – once you graduate.
• An ever-increasing number of American law firms are opening offices around the world and having international experience will enhance your resume – particularly if you decide you are interested in an international legal career.
• You will be able to visit important institutions that have played a significant historical role in the development of the law in the United States. Past visits include the British Parliament, the Royal Courts of Justice, a Magistrates' Court, the new UK Supreme Court, and the Old Bailey.

We try to match a student's interests to an externship position – for example, whether you prefer a small firm or a large organisation, or you wish to gain more experience in a particular area of law such as immigration or entertainment law. Working with a barrister would be of particular interest for those students interested in advocacy and observing court work. Please give us as much information as possible about your skills (including language skills and any other relevant experience) so we can search for a suitable externship placement for you. Obviously, to some extent, the opportunities vary and may also be limited by the law firms that offer externships from year to year.

The answer is, unfortunately, no. This is because it is up to the externship sponsor who they hire. However, we begin the interviewing process during the Spring semester with the goal of having you placed before you arrive in London. This is why it is essential that you submit your cover letter and resume as soon as possible. On occasion, even though we have had an externship placement arranged for a student, the sponsor has had to cancel at the last minute. In that case, we do everything reasonably possible to find a replacement position.

Interested students should apply as instructed below as soon as possible.

Please note that you are required to pay an externship deposit of $500 by 8 April 2024. The deposit becomes non-refundable on 1 May 2024, so if you change your mind about taking an externship, you can have your deposit refunded on or before that date. However, if a CAS has been issued before 1 May 2024 at the student's request to make an early visa application, the deposit will become non-refundable on the date the CAS is issued. After 1 May the deposit will be credited to your fall semester tuition if you enroll in an externship placement or if you have completed all the necessary application requirements but have not been offered an externship. If you fail to complete the application process after a CAS number has been issued to you, or if you fail to accept a placement that is offered, the $500 deposit will be forfeited. Please note that we are unable to guarantee placement in an externship and you must be prepared to accept any placement that is offered or the deposit will be forfeited.

Students must submit the following materials:

• An up-to-date resume. We recommend that you go over your resume with the Career Development Office before you send it to us.
• A formal cover letter addressed to the London Program's Assistant Director, Karen Haygreen, incorporating the following:
  • Are you interested in a one-unit externship, a two-unit externship, or more?
  • Are you flexible as to the number of units you take?
  • What areas of law are you interested in?
  • What areas of law are you not interested in?
  • Do you have any previous experience or have you taken any courses in your area of interest? If you are unsure about the area of law, you are welcome to indicate that you are just looking for legal experience.
  • Do you have any language skills of which we should be aware? Are you hoping to make use of your language skills if possible?
  • Where (geographically) do you hope to work after graduating?
  • What do you hope to do work-wise after you graduate?

Feel free to add any other information that you believe will be helpful in identifying a good externship match for your skills and interests.

Please send all of your materials to Karen Haygreen.

Students who wish to obtain a clinical placement are required to comply with UK immigration rules. Pursuant to the UK immigration rules currently in force, this will entail additional costs to obtain a short-term Tier 4 student visa. More information about visas can be found under Immigration Requirements.

Send a clear and readable scan of the photo and data page of your passport by email to Karen Haygreen, Assistant Director. Karen Haygreen will generate a "CAS" number which will be sent to you. Apply online for the visa and include your CAS number in the application. Attend a biometric data appointment as directed when you make the application. Mail all relevant visa application supporting documents including your passport, two passport photos, receipt from your biometric appointment, an official transcript, letter of acceptance and Financial Aid letter (if applicable), or bank statements to the UK Visa processing office address you are given when you make your visa application. Ensure that you have registered for the International Clinical Law course (Law 360) in Wavenet during fall registration. If you have not registered your placement will be given to someone else. Pack business dress – you will need to wear professional clothes for interviews with potential sponsors, for work, and for our court visits.