Appalachian School of Law’s Externship Program is a central part of the school’s commitment to equipping students with practical lawyering skills. All components of the Externship Program are designed to provide ASL students access to valuable, hands-on experience and networking opportunities that will aid in their future law careers. During the externship experience, students engage in activities ranging from observing court proceedings and conducting research to interviewing clients and assisting with trial strategy.
ASL students are required to complete an externship field placement during the summer following their 1L year. Two hours of academic credit are awarded for successful completion of this requirement, which includes a classroom component during the spring semester, followed by at least 200 hours working under the supervision of an experienced attorney during the summer.
This experience allows our students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world situations in public interest or pro bono legal environments. The externship placements have the added advantage of fulfilling bar admission requirements such as the State of New York’s prerequisite that those seeking admission to the bar complete 50 hours of pro bono work before the bar examination. Students have the option of securing their own externship site, or selecting a site from ASL’s large database of externship opportunities. ASL’s database includes hundreds of approved site partners across the country.
At the Appalachian School of Law (ASL), one of our primary goals is to give our students an exceptional education that prepares them to graduate law school with the advantage that only experience can bring. That is why, in addition to surrounding students with a full-time, tenure-track faculty who collectively practiced in various areas of the law for more than 300 years, we have designed a summer externship program that places our students immediately after their first year of school in courthouses, law offices and boardrooms around the country and abroad for 200 hours of personalized, hands-on, intense legal training.
At ASL, we feel it is crucial for law students to be exposed to the sort of practical legal education an externship can provide. That is why we work very hard to ensure that each student is placed in an externship after their first year of law school that corresponds to the student’s interests or opens doors to other future endeavors.
Although students’ experiences differ based on various factors, most students are able to do obtain an intimate glimpse of an attorney’s daily routine representing private clients and/or public interests. Irrespective of the actual site where a student may be placed, the goals of the Externship Program are:
First-year students receive 2 credits for their Externship.
ASL has cultivated a teaching partnership with more than 500 sites in 40 states and in international venues. Thus, a myriad of site placements are available to our students, including Judicial; Natural Resources and Environmental Law Practices; District and Commonwealth Attorneys’ Offices; Public Defenders; Legal Aid; State Attorney Generals; non-governmental organizations; Federal Attorney Generals; State and Federal Agencies; State Family/Juvenile Law Courts & Agencies; Law Firms with established pro bono programs; State and Federal Legislatures; In-House Academic and Medical Departments; and the Judge Advocate Corp. For a list of approved sites by category or states Click Here.
Each first-year law student must complete 200 hours of work under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney.
No. To ensure compliance with American Bar Association Standards and U.S. Department of Labor regulations, ASL focuses student placements at sites that concentrate in the areas of public interest law or pro bono service. Therefore, a student is not required to complete any pro bono work through the externship program, although hours spent providing pro bono services may count toward state admission requirements.
Yes, you can be paid for your externship experience if this opportunity is available.
All first-year law students may select sites from an approved list available by ASL’s Externship Director. Students may also submit a petition to secure their own site that is not on the preapproved list.
Although most site placements are essentially preapproved by the Externship Director, students may contact a site in which he or she is interested, and then complete a petition for approval of the attended site by the Externship Director.
There is no cost for the site. Students are responsible for all expenses such as lodging, meals, transportation, etc., unless the student receives a stipend for traveling or living expenses from the site or ASL.
If you have questions about the program or need additional information, please contact externships@asl.edu
Yes, just follow this link for useful forms.
