Home »

Centers & Programs

Private and Public Externship Program

Whittier Law School offers practical training through externship placements with trial and appellate courts, governmental agencies, law firms, corporate legal departments and non-profit legal services organizations. Working under the supervision of experienced attorneys or bench officers, students are able to gain valuable insights into the operation of legal institutions while dealing with actual client matters. They also are able to develop a better understanding of the legal and socioeconomic problems common in the practice of law.

In conjunction with each student’s first externship placement, students attend Lawyering Skills, a one-unit course on the theoretical components of client representation and the socialization process of becoming a lawyer. Students are supported throughout their externship by members of the faculty.

Students who have completed or are enrolled in Civil Procedure and Evidence may seek Law Student Certification from the State Bar of California. If approved, this status allows law students the opportunity to participate in hearings and trials as part of their externship. Download an application from the California Bar website.

All externships taken for academic credit are unpaid, and students may earn up to six credit/no credit units toward graduation during their law school career. Qualified students with placements with the local California appellate or federal bench may earn an additional two units. There is a two unit minimum for externships, not including the Lawyering skills class.

Whittier Law School Externship Policies and Procedures Handbook
Externship Application Forms