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Summer Program

The Summer Externship Program offers students the opportunity to work anywhere in the world, in a placement you secure with the approval of the director of the Externship Program.

Students in the program are guided through the externship in a tutorial version of our externship course, with the option of writing an in-depth paper under the supervision of a faculty member for graded credits, with fewer other written assignments.


Requirements

  • Students must be rising 3Ls.
  • Preference is given for students with prior externship experience.
  • The placement must be unavailable to the student during the school year (e.g., because it is in another city).
  • Students must plan to work at least 6 weeks.

Process

  • Students apply to and secure a conditional offer to work at the intended placement. (Note: students may not receive compensation or grants for summer externships. Financial aid is available for 5-6 credit placements.)
  • Placements are not pre-approved and may be found through a variety of job fairs coordinated by Emory Law, on Symplicity, or through independent sources.
  • Students work with their supervising attorneys to develop proposed learning objectives and experiences.
  • The supervising attorney signs the Summer Externship Supervisor Agreement »
  • The student submits a copy of this agreement with their application through Symplicity »
  • If the student elects the paper option, the application also includes the proposed topic and name of the faculty supervisor.

Placements and Postings

Students wishing to participate in Emory’s Summer Externship Program should review the requirements listed above and, if met, contact lawexternships@emory.edu for guidance.

The Director of Externships will review the materials and discuss with the supervising attorney (and the faculty advisor, if applicable), and determine whether to approve the student’s application.

During the placement, an Emory Law instructor guides the student through the learning process with weekly assignments and other interactions (via phone or online) on topics related to ethics, professional development, and practice skills. Alternatively, for students electing the paper option, the student periodically discusses the progress on the paper and works on drafts with his or her faculty supervisor.

At the middle of the work term, the student produces a midterm self-evaluation and the student and attorney supervisor have an in-depth meeting (in-person or via videoconference) with the instructor in which they discuss the student’s progress. After the work term ends, the student produces a final self-evaluation and has a debrief meeting and exit interview with the instructor.

Students in this program receive 3–6 hours of combined credit for the externship for a total work commitment of 150–300 hours over 6–12 weeks, including both fieldwork and academic coursework. Tuition is paid at the per-credit rate; financial aid is available for 5-6 credit hours. Scholarships cannot be used for summer externships.