If a student chooses to look for an externship not found in the database, we consider this to be a student-initiated placement (SIP), meaning that they did not find the externship via the Database of Pre-approved Externship Opportunities. Students must also submit a SIP Approval Request Formwell in advance of the add/drop deadline.
While searching for externships, you may wish to review student externs’ evaluations from prior semesters. Evaluations from Fall 2014 – Spring 2018 are in binders in Hotung 5000. Evaluations from Fall 2018 – Spring 2023 are online.
Foreign-trained LL.M./M.L.T. students may do an externship after completing one semester at Georgetown Law. If you start in the Fall semester, then you can do an externship during the Spring semester. If you start in the Spring semester, then you can do an externship the following summer or fall semester.
After securing an eligible placement, LL.M./M.L.T. students who want to receive academic credit for an externship must submit a completed Externship Application and Supervision Agreement Form. Links for these documents are on the right-hand side of this page.
Students holding an F-1 visa must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and have it approved prior to beginning their externship.
Once a student has accepted an offer to extern at an organization, the student must withdraw his or her applications at all other organizations where they applied. It is in violation of the policies in the Georgetown Law Student Handbook regarding student conduct in the job search process for a student to continue to interview with other employers after a student has accepted an offer to extern with an employer.
Students cannot add the two credits to their schedules on their own; once we receive the Externship Application and Supervision Agreement Form, we work with the Registrar’s Office to add the two credits to the students’ schedules.
Requirements
Location: The externship must be located in the greater Washington, DC area. You must work on-site. However, if the organization is in a hybrid or remote working mode, you may work in hybrid/remote mode as well.
Supervisor: Your direct supervisor must be a lawyer, and they must be on-site at the same location as your externship opportunity.
Work: The work must be substantive and law-related. The work must be done by someone with a law background.
Not-billable: For positions at law firms/for-profit entities: Students’ time and work product(s) cannot be billed to clients.
New Experience: Students cannot receive academic credit if they worked or interned previously with the organization.
Optional Practical Training: If you hold an F-1 visa, your Curricular Practical Training must be approved BEFORE you begin working.
Externships and Practicums: Generally speaking, students attending Georgetown Law on an F-1 visa may not register for an externship and a practicum during the same semester, since Curricular Practical Training cannot be approved for more than one course per semester. Please check with Molly Jackson for exceptions.
Mandatory Orientation: LL.M./M.L.T. students who have submitted the required forms and will enroll in a for-credit externship must attend a mandatory externship orientation program held during the first week of the semester.
Time Commitment: LL.M./M.L.T. students are required to devote a minimum of ten (10) hours each week for at least eleven (11) weeks to the externship. The work week is Monday – Friday. Please note that some organizations request more than 10 hours per week (most students participating in the program average 12-16 hours per week), but no full-time student should work more than 20 hours in any given week. NOTE FOR SUMMER: Students may work full-time, and their externship can be completed in as little as 6 weeks, provided they still work at least 10 hours each week, and accumulate a minimum total of 110 hours. Note:Two 5-hour work weeks do not constitute one 10-hour work week, nor does one 20-hour work week equal two 10-hour work weeks. As stated above, students must work at least eleven weeks, and students must work a minimum of 10 hours each week.
Time Sheets: LL.M./M.L.T. students must keep a weekly time sheet that confirms the number of hours the student has worked and generally describes the nature of the work performed without disclosing any confidential information. The time sheet must be turned in by close of business on the Monday following the work week. The link for the time sheet/journal document is on the right-hand side of this page.
Reflection Memo: At the end of the semester, the student will be required to submit a 5-10 page memo reflecting on the externship experience. Please see the link on the right-hand side of this page for information related to the Reflection Memo.
Mandatory Exit Class: All externship participants must attend a mandatory exit class at the end of the semester.
Fall 2023 Externship – Dates and Deadlines
Externship Application and Supervision Agreement Form due no later than Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 5:00pm
Mandatory orientation: Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 4:00pm in McDonough 208.
Externships may begin as early as August 28, 2023, but must startno later than the week of September 11, 2023 and end by Friday, December 1, 2023.
Mandatory Exit Meeting: Friday, December 1, 2023 at 4:00pm
Reflection Memo due: Friday, December 15, 2023 by 5:00pm
Spring 2024 Externship – Dates and Deadlines
Externship Application and Supervision Agreement Form due no later than Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at NOON
Mandatory orientation: Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 4:00pm.
Externships may begin as early as January 8, 2024, but must start no later than the week of January 29, 2024 and end by Friday, April 26, 2024.
Mandatory Exit Meeting: Friday, April 26, 2024 at 4:00pm
Reflection Memo due: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 by 4:00pm
