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What is an Externship

Fordham Law students walking at Columbus Circle in New York City

Through the Externship Program, you can experience the practice of law at a legal placement outside of the Law School -- and get credit. As a student working under the supervision of an attorney in the field, you will learn substantive law, improve your lawyering skills, and begin to understand the professional and ethical obligations of lawyers in the context of real legal practice. 

Fieldwork Component

You may find and secure their own placements based on your own interests and goals, or you may apply to one of the three new focused externships.

Students receive 2 credits (pass/fail) for 10 hours of fieldwork a week for 13 weeks in the fall and spring semesters and 20 hours of fieldwork a week for 8 weeks during the summer semester. Students must be supervised by a licensed, practicing attorney in the field. 

Seminar Component

Students receive 1 credit (graded) for participating in an accompanying externship seminar.

The externship seminar is designed to offer support for your fieldwork assignments. In the seminar, you will have a chance to develop skills and to engage in critical reflection about legal systems and institutions, the professional obligations of attorneys, and access to justice issues, among others.

Students:  See Externship Policies for more information.

Information Regarding Externships and Compensation

  1. Externship students are permitted to receive funding in the form of fellowships, grants, and scholarships, as long as the funds are received from a third party source and not directly from the placement organization.
  2. Externship students are permitted to receive reimbursement for their reasonable out-of pocket expenses related to their fieldwork. Reimbursement is permitted for the following expenses:
    1. During all semesters: local transportation costs (e.g., subway, parking); and
    2. During the summer only: the cost of transportation to and from the field placement if it is at a distance from NYC (an “out of town” placement) and for housing and food costs only to the extent they are greater than what they would have been at the student’s home location.
  3. Eternship students may not receive any other remuneration from a field placement, including wages or salaries.

Contact the Externship Program

Ron Lazebnik
Clinical Associate Professor
Director, J.D. Externship Program
150 West 62nd Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10023

Tel: 212-636-6934

Fax: 212-636-6923

Email: [email protected]