Practicum Courses

All Practicum externships must involve students doing substantive legal work under the supervision of a licensed and experienced attorney. Students work 12-15 hours per week (a minimum of 20 in the summer) at the externship site for the entire semester. Unless otherwise noted, students are responsible for securing their own externship with guidance from the professor. All externships must be approved by the faculty member teaching the course prior to enrollment.

Civil Government Practicum
Corporate Counsel Practicum
Criminal Law Practicum
High Tech Practicum
Judicial Practicum
Media Law and Government Transparency Practicum
Mediation Practicum
Public Interest Practicum

 

Civil Government Practicum

Fall and Spring Semesters

The goal of this Practicum is to provide students with an understanding of civil government practice. Students spend 12 hours per week in a field placement at a Chicago-area federal, state, or local government agency or office involving civil law. Depending on the placement, duties may include research and writing memoranda, briefs or legal opinions; assisting in the formulation of legal policy; drafting of legislation or regulations; participating in litigation, and assisting with community legal education efforts.  Students secure their own placement in consultation with the faculty member.  Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss assigned readings regarding civil government practice and their externship experience.  Grades are based on reflective journal submissions, class participation, a final presentation, and successful completion of the externship. 

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Corporate Counsel Practicum

Fall and Summer Semesters

The goal of this Practicum is to provide students with an understanding of the role of the general counsel in a corporation. Students spend 10-12 hours per week (and a total of 180 hours in the summer) working in the legal department of a Chicago-area corporation. In addition to doing legal research, writing memoranda and counseling clients, students also have the opportunity to participate in departmental and corporate meetings and develop an understanding of the role of the general counsel. Students may request placement at one of the recurring placements or may identify their own placement, which needs to be approved by the professor. Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss readings relating to the responsibilities of in-house counsel and engage in role plays that highlight the challenges and opportunities that in-house counsel face. Grades are based on reflective journal submissions, class participation, a final paper, and successful completion of the externship. In the summer, priority for this Practicum is given to JD/MBA students who have completed their first year of law school.

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Criminal Law Practicum

Fall and Spring Semesters

The goal of this Practicum is to provide students with an understanding of criminal process and the criminal justice system. Students complete externships in Chicago at the United States Attorney’s office, the Federal Defender’s office, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office, or the Cook County Public Defender’s office. Students conduct research, write briefs and memoranda, observe courtroom proceedings, and assist attorneys in trial preparation and trial. Students with 711 licenses may have the opportunity to appear in court under the supervision of their field supervisor.  Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss assigned readings regarding the criminal justice system and their externship experience. Students are graded on a reflective journal, a final presentation, class participation, and successful completion of the externship.

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High Tech Practicum

Spring Semester

This course is part of the San Francisco Immersion Program. The goal of this Practicum is to increase students’ understanding of legal work in high tech and start-up settings. Students work as externs in start-up and high tech companies. Students draft legal documents, participate in legal and business strategy sessions, and conduct legal research. The professor helps match students with participating externship offices. Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss assigned readings regarding the practice of law in high technology and entrepreneurial settings and their externship experience. Students are graded on a reflective journal, a final report, class participation, and successful completion of the externship.

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Judicial Practicum

Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters

The goal of this Practicum is to increase students’ understanding of the federal courts and judicial decision-making. In the Fall and Spring semesters, students work 12 to 15 hours a week as externs for Chicago-area federal judges. In the summer students must work a minimum of 180 hours for a judge over a period of at least six weeks for judges in Chicago and around the country. Students conduct research and draft memoranda and opinions. Students also observe a variety of federal court proceedings. Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss assigned readings regarding the federal judiciary, judicial ethics and decision-making, and their externship experience. In the summer there is an in-person seminar for students with externships in the Chicago area and a remote seminar for students with externships in other jurisdictions. Students are graded on a reflective journal, a final presentation, class participation, and successful completion of the externship.  For the fall and spring semesters, the professor assists students with obtaining an externship by sending resumes and transcripts of interested students to the judges, who then select the externs. For the summer, the Career Center sends the resumes and transcripts to Chicago-area judges, and students apply on their own to jurisdictions outside Chicago.

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Media Law and Government Transparency Practicum

Spring Semester

The goal of this Practicum is to increase students’ understanding of the public’s right of access to information and issues of free speech and press freedom. The professors match students with externships in the legal departments of news organizations, non-profits, and press advocacy groups. Students work for 12 hours per week researching and preparing memoranda and other legal documents. The course includes students from both the law school and the Medill School of Journalism. Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss assigned readings regarding media law, government transparency, and their externship experience. Grades are based on reflective journal submissions, class participation, a final presentation, and successful completion of the externship. 

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Mediation Practicum

Spring Semester

The goal of this Practicum is to provide students who have received certification as a mediator with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of mediation principles and to enhance their mediation skills. Students must have completed the mediation skills training from the Center for Conflict Resolution and have been certified as a mediator in order to enroll in the course. .Each student is required to mediate a minimum of thirteen cases at the Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR) and to work with CCR staff to screen cases for mediation. Students also participate in a weekly seminar that explores topics related to mediation. Grades are based on reflective journal submissions, class participation, a final presentation, and successful completion of the externship. Prior to enrolling in this Practicum, students must receive permission from the professor and take Mediation Process and Advocacy (offered in the Fall Semester).

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Public Interest Practicum

Fall and Spring Semesters

The goal of this Practicum is to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of public interest law practice.  Students spend 12 hours per week in an externship with a non-profit public interest organization doing civil work. Students work under the supervision of attorneys in these offices and conduct research, write briefs and memoranda, interview clients and witnesses, participate in community education efforts, and assist attorneys in trial preparation and trial. Students with 711 licenses may have the opportunity to appear in court under the supervision of their field supervisor. Students also participate in a weekly seminar where they discuss assigned readings regarding public interest law practice and their externship experience. Grades are based on reflective journal submissions, class participation, a final presentation, and successful completion of the externship.

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