Mitchell Externships & Clinics
St. Paul, Minn. | www.wmitchell.edu
Practical Wisdom
Externships
• For credit learning opportunities outside the
classroom in placements such as the public
defender’s office, government agencies, law
firms, corporations & nonprofits.
• Students cannot receive pay.
• Students need 22 credits completed to register
for externships.
• Prerequisites or co-requisites, depends on each
externship. See individual course requirements.
2
Clinics - Externships
Difference between externships & clinics:
• Generally, in clinics, students work directly with Mitchell’s
clinical faculty or adjunct faculty on cases that the Mitchell
clinics decide to take. Think of Mitchell’s clinical faculty and
clinical students functioning as a small law firm. Example:
Child Protection Clinic.
http://web.wmitchell.edu/legal-practice-center/clientrepresentation-clinics/
• In externships, students are placed outside the law school to
work with attorneys/judges on projects/cases specific to that
office or organization.
3
Externships
Generally fall under two main categories at Mitchell:
– Course based: In-class room component, plus field
placement.
– Independent externships: No class room
component, but students have faculty supervision
and one-on-one meetings; or
similar placements may be grouped together under
one faculty member to meet as a group vs. having
individual meetings.
– See http://web.wmitchell.edu/legal-practicecenter/externships/
4
Federal Judicial Externship
• About 3 weeks before next semester registration application deadline.
• Watch for posting on the Docket.
• The application consists of: (1) resume, (2) transcript,
and (3) short essay explaining why you want to do it.
• Preference given to students in the top 15% of the
class, and for the spring program, preference given to
2Ls over 3Ls.
• After student is selected, student registers for the
credits & class by contacting the course instructor.
5
Law & Business Externship
• Application process –Prof. Ainsworth
• First step: attend information session on
Prerequisites: At least 2 business
courses.
• Preference given to upper-class students.
6
Spring 2014 Law & Bus Placements
Soffer Charbonnet
The Brewer Group
Best Buy
Henson & Efron
Code 42
Virtus Law
Merrill Corp
Black Hills IP
Regis Corp
Aon Benfield
Valspar
7
Government Agency Externship
• First: Meet with Externship Director to
discuss your interest.
• Second: Apply to the government agency
through Symplicity- applications go
directly to the agency.
• Third: Interview, selected, accepted.
• Fourth: Contact Externship Director to
register for the course.
8
Examples of Gov’t Agencies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dept. of Transportation
Dept. of Public Safety
MN Pollution Control Agency
Dept. of Human Services
Public Utilities Commission
Dept. of Human Rights
Dept. of Agriculture
Dept. of Labor and Industry
Dept. of Veterans Affairs (federal)
Dept. of Homeland Security
Dept. of Housing & Urban Dev’t-Fair Housing
9
Real Estate & Local Gov’t
• First: Meet with Externship Director to
discuss your interest.
• Second: Apply to the government agency
through Symplicity- applications go
directly to Hennepin County.
• Third: Interview, selected & accepted.
• Fourth: Contact Externship Director to
register for the course.
10
Hennepin County Administration
Placements
• Title Examiner’s Office
• Taxpayer Services
• Contracts & Procurement
11
Credits
• Register when you sign up for your other
classes.
• Courses and independent externship credits
are based on number of hours in your field
placement.
• 50 hours = 1 credit
• 100 hours = 2 credits
• 145 hours = 3 credits
• 190 hours = 4 credits
12
Externships
Not finding the externship experience you are looking for under
Mitchell’s course offerings?
See Independent Externships
• Symplicity postings (If pre-approved, will have my contact
information on it. Search under job title “legal extern.”)
• Your own contacts – Mitchell mentors
http://web.wmitchell.edu/legal-practicecenter/externships/independent-externships/
https://law-wmitchellcsm.symplicity.com/manager/index.php?s=jobs&_ksl=1
13
Examples of Placements
•
•
•
•
•
•
Independent Externships
City of St. Paul Attorney’s Office
Neighborhood Justice Center
(Note, MJF opportunities may be set up as
independent externships)
Corporations
Small law firms
North Carolina Legal Aid
14
How Many Externships Can I Take?
During your law school career at Mitchell, you
may have:
• A total of 4 credits from independent
externships. Exception Process in place for
more than 4.
• A total of 4 credits from independent judicial
externships.
• Course based externships = no limit/22
credits for non-classroom.
(register for one course each semester until the
first round of registration is completed)
15
Why should I take Externships?
• Part of your legal education – gain hands on
experience under attorney supervision & faculty
guidance.
• Apply what you learn in the classroom to solve
problems for individuals, agencies, corporations
and nonprofits.
• Create enthusiasm & passion for the practice of
law.
• Career exploration- test run, including alternative
legal careers.
• Build your portfolio of legal skills.
• Employers want: Practical experience.
16
Plan & Strategize Your Legal Experience
• Have variety of practical experiences by the
time you graduate:
– Clinics & externships
– Volunteer (MJF)
– Paid clerkships
• “Legal Experience” section of your resume
should be robust.
• Prove you are interested in a specific
practice area.
• Have some variety to give you options to
different employment opportunities.
17
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fall: MJF
MJF
Transition phase: What do I
want my resume to look like
when I graduate? Which areas
do I need experience in?
Externship/Clinic- following up
on previous experience to gain
more experience
Spring: MJF
Externship – still exploring
interests
Exploration phase:
Summer: MJF, paid
position, volunteer,
externship, take PR
if possible
Externship/clinic or paid
position- still exploring
interests
Spring: Finalizing phase
Externship/Clinic: Need to
prove I have interest in area and
experience.
18
Contact
Melissa Wright, Externship Director
Melissa.Wright@wmitchell.edu
290-6369
Office 159 (1st Floor, past Hachey
Commons, follow the long hallway to the
very end).
Power Point will be posted on Mitchell’s Independent
Externship Website.
19
13 “In House” Clinic Offerings:
• Business Law Clinic
• Child Protection Clinic
• Civil Advocacy Clinic
• Community Development Clinic
• Criminal Appeals Clinic
• Immigration Law Clinic
• Indian Law Clinic
• Intellectual Property Clinic
20
Clinic offerings (continued)
• Law and Psychiatry Clinic
• Legal Assistance to Minnesota
Prisoners (LAMP) Clinic
• The Reentry Clinic
• Legal Planning Clinic for Tax-Exempt
Organizations and Low Income Clients
• Misdemeanor (Prosecution) Clinic
21
Contact
Melissa Wright, Externship Director
Melissa.Wright@wmitchell.edu
290-6369
Office 159 (1st Floor, past Hachey Commons, follow the long
hallway to the very end).
Profs. Ann Juergens, Peter Knapp, Co-Director Clinics
Ann.Juergens@wmitchell.edu
Room 259
Power Point will be posted on Mitchell’s Independent Externship
Website.
22