LAW 5900 - Hofstra Law in D.C. Externship Program
The Hofstra Law in D.C. Externship Program (HLDC) provides students with an unparalleled educational opportunity by allowing them to have a total immersion and hands-on experience working in a legal setting in the nation’s capital. HLDC students can work full-time as unpaid legal externs during the fall semester of their third year of law school at an approved Congressional Committee, federal government agency, non-profit organization, or public interest group. During the semester, HLDC students will conduct research and provide advice and assistance on a wide range of legislative, legal, policy and regulatory matters under the direct supervision and guidance of an experienced attorney. Field placements will also provide opportunities for students to practice a range of practical and other advocacy skills, such as drafting predictive, persuasive and/or dispositional legal memoranda; conducting factual investigations; participating in client interviewing, counseling and negotiations; and recognizing and resolving ethical dilemmas. In order to successfully complete the field placement component of the program, students will be required to work a minimum of 40 hours/week for 14 weeks, and to complete all of the work they are assigned by their field placement supervisor. Students will also be required to prepare weekly journal entries, and to keep track of their hours.
HLDC is a capstone experience that enables students to blend their substantive doctrinal training with the development of practical skills and professional identity so that when they graduate they are better prepared to begin practicing law. Students will also gain valuable experience and contacts, which will enhance their qualifications for long-term career opportunities in public interest. HLDC students must also enroll in a companion weekly seminar that explores constitutional, statutory and regulatory issues from multiple perspectives. In lieu of a final examination, HLDC students must complete an in-depth legal research paper. Enrollment is limited to 10 students.
Prerequisites & Notes
Pre-Requisites/Co-Requisites: Lawyers’ Ethics or its equivalent.
Other Limitations: Only third-year students will be permitted to enroll in this externship program, and they must apply and receive approval of the placement and the proposed supervisor at the placement. Students interested in applying for HLDC in the fall semester of their third year must submit their applications in the spring semester of their second year, and must meet the program’s eligibility requirements, comply with all of the application procedures, and submit all of the required materials in a timely fashion.
As part of the approval process, the Academic Dean must ensure that the student has been advised about the limit on non-classroom hours, and must certify that the student will not exceed that limit if enrolled in the externship and that all other graduation requirements will be met. Students are prohibited from receiving any compensation in connection with their work at the placement, with the exception of any financial aid they receive in connection with their tuition for the law school.
Credits: 10
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