Externship Program

The externship program was one of my greatest learning experiences in law school. My time with Judge Wade Barber and Justice Ed Brady provided me with a more complete understanding of the practice of law, far beyond statutes and caselaw. I even ended up with a job as a direct result of the program: Judge Barber gave me a call and asked me to join him in his return to private practice!

-Jeremy M. Falcone, Class of 2006

The Externship Program at the UNC School of Law is designed to enhance traditional classroom instruction by engaging students in real life lawyering experiences with practicing lawyers and judges in the community. Third year law students, as well as second year law students in their spring semester, receive three units of academic credit for working at an approved externship placement. Judges at federal and state levels and lawyers from government agencies, public interest groups and corporate counsel offices serve as mentors and on-site supervisors for the students. The Externship Program's faculty supervisors guide and facilitate the students' exploration of their externship experience through tutorials, journal writing and group discussion.

Through the program, student externs have the opportunity to "try on" and explore a particular area of practice and observe different lawyering styles and techniques. Externships promote the students' development of key lawyering skills such as research and writing, interviewing and counseling, negotiation, and both informal and formal advocacy. Through their work with faculty supervisors, students also develop "reflective lawyering" habits that will enhance their ability to learn from their observations and experiences. Finally, through discussion on ethical and moral issues, the program attempts to enhance the students' understanding of professional responsibility.

Students participating in the Externship Program work under the direct supervision of an on site supervisor for approximately 10 hours each week during the 14 week semester. Site Supervisors are experienced lawyers who provide direction, supervision, and feedback to the student extern as the student initiates, progresses through, and completes the assigned projects.

The Program offers 50 placements in both the Fall and Spring semesters at a variety of sites and is limited to 3L students through the lottery or 2L students in the Spring semester as space allows. The Fall/Spring Program earns 3 credit hours. 1L and 2L students interested in summer placement with state and federal judges earn 4 credits during the summer session and are on site 32 hours per week. The Summer Program is limited to 25 students. In addition, the law school now offers a limited number of students the opportunity to spend the fall semester of their 3L year externing full time with either the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency or the Department of Justice Voting Rights Section in Washington DC. The first full semester placement will take place in Fall 2008.

If you are interested in joining the Externship Program as a Site Supervisor, the first step is to fill out the Externship Site Information Form and return it to us. We require that all participating sites in our program have an on site supervisor who is an attorney with a minimum of five years experience as a practicing lawyer. At this time we do not place externs with private firms.

Interested law students can find more information on My Carolina Law. You can also contact Melissa Saltzman at the email address below.

Links:

Contact Information:

Director: Professor Maria Savasta-Kennedy
Faculty Supervisor: Janine Zanin
Program Coordinator: Melissa Saltzman

Externship Program
UNC School of Law 5085 Van Hecke-Wettach Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3380
Tel: (919) 843-9702
Fax: (919) 962-1277
msaltzma@email.unc.edu