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Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:10 am
by smiles123
Hey all,
Hoping to extern a semester my 3L. I was wondering if anyone knew specific offices/agencies that allow their externs to go to court and handle cases. I'm open to anything (DA, JAG, International work, ect.), I just want to make sure the semester is a worthwhile use of time. Any insight is appreciated!
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:39 am
by A. Nony Mouse
smiles123 wrote:Hey all,
Hoping to extern a semester my 3L. I was wondering if anyone knew specific offices/agencies that allow their externs to go to court and handle cases. I'm open to anything (DA, JAG, International work, ect.), I just want to make sure the semester is a worthwhile use of time. Any insight is appreciated!
If your state has 3L licenses (not that they all call it that) then a lot of DA's offices let you argue in court, I think. I also think a lot of criminal defense clinics through your school get you into court (probably also through the PD directly but I just don't actually know). Legal aid might but it depends on the kind of cases. (USAO probably won't - I don't think students can appear in federal court.)
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:40 am
by GreenEggs
It depends on the externship, you should see what your school has and then read reviews or reach out to other students who have done it. With only one semester though, you have no idea whether you'll get actual trial experience. You might have courtroom experience, but you never know if externships or going to line up with a trial.
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 1:03 pm
by elendinel
It really depends on where you're located.
Depending on that, the answer may be that there are none for you, that only DAs/PDs might, or DA/PD/a dozen other non-profits might.
I echo the disclaimer that with only one semester, you can't guarantee trial experience even in a jurisdiction where students appear all the time, though.
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:26 am
by smiles123
Location can be anywhere, national or international. It would be a full-time externship, so I am not limited to offices near my school. Any specific offices / agencies / non-profits that people know have court room experience?
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 12:04 pm
by RaceJudicata
How will you go to classes? Also, idk of - or ever heard of - a 9-5 externship.
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 12:48 pm
by A. Nony Mouse
Some schools do that.
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 12:51 pm
by Anonymous User
RaceJudicata wrote:How will you go to classes? Also, idk of - or ever heard of - a 9-5 externship.
My school let you do that so students could do international or DC externships. You had to do some silly stuff like come up with a reading list and write a reflection paper though.
If you really DGAF about where it is, I know people who got lots of courtroom experience at the San Mateo (CA) DA's Office. I'm pretty sure Santa Clara DA also provided courtroom experience.
Re: Full-time Externships with Court Room Experience
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 2:23 pm
by Anonymous User
My law school (a T14, though I think other local schools had the same things in my city) had externships (for credit) with both the local DA and PD offices which let you actually argue real cases in court. FWIW I did the PD one and it was probably my favorite thing I did during law school.