Applying for a JD Externship
Introduction
Externships play an important role in your legal education and career trajectory, so give your career goals and interests some thought before pursuing a placement. When you find a placement area that interests you, Externship Program staff and/or your Career Services Counselor are available to advise on potential opportunities and give you feedback on your resume and other application materials.
Remember: You must complete your first year of academic study (30 credits; all 1L required courses) before you can pursue an JD externship for credit.
Exploring JD Externship Opportunities
In general, you should apply for externship placements at least 2-3 months before the start of the semester in which you wish to pursue an externship, so make sure to leave yourself time to research available opportunities. You can use the Law School’s Spark Connect website to review current opportunities and application instructions. Approved placements are tagged as eligible for credit.
You may also pursue externships with judges, courts, government agencies, public interest organizations, and in-house legal departments that are not listed in Spark Connect. Limited opportunities with a student’s current employer and/or private law firms are available but require special approval. Contact the Externship Program at law-externships@uic.edu to be sure your proposed placement can be approved for credit.
Applying for a JD Externship Opportunity
You are responsible for the preparation and submission of your externship placement applications. Application instructions, hiring criteria, and work schedule expectations are determined by the placement site. Before submitting an application, be certain that you meet requirements and have followed all instructions. Interviews and externship offers are at the discretion of the externship organization.
Note: Students are obligated to accept the first externship offer they receive.
Accept a Position and Apply for Approval
Once you have received and accepted an externship placement offer, you will submit the experience for approval in Spark Connect. Navigate to the Experiential Learning section, select New Experience, and provide details about your externship position. If approved, you will receive a link to request enrollment in externship courses. The Registrar’s office will grant you permission to enroll in the appropriate course(s).
You must finalize your externship placement and register for the course at least 2 weeks before the start of the semester in which you plan to complete your externship (and at least 4 weeks prior for firm and current employer positions).
Prepare to Start Your Externship
As you prepare to start your externship, you will work with your Externship Placement supervisor to establish a work schedule and goals for your position. Plan to complete your externship hours between the semester’s first and last day of classes. At the start of your externship semester, you will also complete Externship Program Orientation. Dates for upcoming terms can be found on the Externship Overview document.