Work Modality and Location
For the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Academic Years (including the summer sessions), the field placement must have an established place of business (i.e., a physical office location where business of the office is conducted, not just a virtual/mailing address) in the United States, and the student must be externing with that office. Completely virtual organizations, organizations located outside of the United States and field supervision from outside the U.S. are not permitted; there are no exceptions to this policy.
Field Supervisors who telework or spend considerable time away from the office must agree to identify another individual who is qualified to supervise to whom the student can report to or secure additional assignments from when the field supervisor is absent from the office and the student is on-site.
- Work to Maximum Extent Possible in Person: You will extern in person (i.e., on-site at your field placement) to the maximum extent possible. Note that this requirement is based on feasibility, not student preference.
- Why? This requirement is meant to maximize your opportunity to consult with, observe, and develop relationships with legal professionals in person (which will improve your externship experience). You are not expected to work on site (and indeed, are discouraged from doing so) when others in your office will not be on site.
- Students who will conduct any of their fieldwork remotely on a regular basis must successfully complete the J.D. Externship Program Student Telework Plan (which they will find on their externship seminar Canvas course page, once it has been published) with their field supervisor. This Plan will then be reviewed by their externship seminar professor, who will follow up with them should they have any questions/concerns about it.
If a student must miss any externship hours due to illness or another unforeseen reason, it is acceptable to make-up the missed work within another week or two during the semester.
If a student must miss any externship hours in a given week for a foreseeable reason (e.g., a national holiday when their field placement will be closed), they should make every effort to make up that time at another point during the week. If they cannot do so, then it is acceptable to make up the missed fieldwork within another week or two during the semester.
Generally, however, students need to work 11 or 16.5 hours per week for a minimum of 10 weeks during the fall or spring semester (6 weeks during the summer session). (Note: The J.D. Externship Program strongly recommends externing for 11 weeks or more during the fall or spring semester.)
If a student is unable to meet the minimum weekly hours requirement in a given week, the student needs to contact their externship seminar professor as soon as possible to discuss the situation, as well as their field supervisor.
Students who have not met their hours and weeks requirements will not receive credit for their externship.