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College of Law

Externships

Toledo Law externships enhance your ability to learn from your experience. Externships train you in lawyering skills, give greater insight into the workings of the legal system, and foster a sense of professional responsibility.

Under the guidance of a supervising attorney or judge, you will perform a variety of challenging tasks. Feedback from supervisors creates an ideal environment for developing self-directed learning skills. Externship faculty members regularly meet and correspond with you to review your work and provide on-going evaluation of the experience.

You may serve as an extern in a wide variety of placements, including governmental offices, courts, and non-profit agencies, as well as corporate counsel offices of for-profit and non-profit businesses. Through these placements, you will gain practical legal experience in the areas of research, document preparation, interviewing, counseling, negotiating, and litigation. Please note that you may not receive credit through the externship program for placements with private firms at this time. Students are limited to two (2) semesters at the same placement and three (3) total externships, regardless of the placement.

Consistently, law students find their clinical courses - including externships - to be one of the highlights of their legal education. Some are eager to represent real clients in court and at administrative hearings. Others gain stimulating insights into the legal process from working with trial or appellate judges. Regardless of their placement, all externs will find that their experiences enable them to enliven their formal education and to learn valuable legal skills.

Qualifications

One externship per student is the norm. To qualify for an externship, you must have completed your first year of law school (or second year, if a part-time student) and must be in good academic standing.

Length of Placement

In the fall and spring semesters, you are required to work a minimum of 4 hours per week per unit of credit for 14 weeks. You must also attend the mandatory classroom component (see course schedule for LAWN 9610).

In the summer, you are required to work a minimum of 48 hours per unit of credit over the nine-week term. During summer session, you may earn up to 6 credits. For example, a student who elected 6 credit hours would work a total of 288 hours in the field placement over the summer.

Role of Supervising Attorney/Judge

Supervising attorneys and judges serve as teachers, role models, mentors, and friends. Externship faculty work as a team with each supervising attorney/judge to design and implement a valuable learning experience. Supervising attorneys/judges also complete extern mid-semester and final evaluations. These evaluations assist externship faculty in determining grades and providing you with necessary feedback.

Student-Initiated Externship

If you wish to extern with an organization, corporation, or program not listed as an established placement, you may contact them to initiate an externship. After you obtain the preliminary information regarding the placement, externship faculty will review the information, discuss the opportunity with the proposed supervising attorney or judge, and approve or deny the proposed placement. Please note that you may not receive credit through the externship program for placements with private firms at this time.

Externship Opportunities

Corporate Counsel Externship

The Corporate Counsel Externship exposes you to the role of in-house counsel at various for-profit and non-profit businesses. You will explore and gain experience in the work of corporate counsel, including contract review, real estate transactions, securities law, negotiations, and corporate compliance.

Toledo and the surrounding regions are home to many innovative and influential companies, including several on the Fortune 500 list. While most students extern within Lucas County, some out-of-town placements are available, particularly during the summer session.

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Mediation Externship

The Mediation Externship provides you with the unique opportunity to serve as a mediator in court-connected mediation programs. You will mediate a variety of case types, including small claims, civil, housing, and minor criminal matters.

You'll develop many of the skills necessary for success in the practice of law while providing a valuable service to the community. Through formal mediation training, classroom exercises, and experience mediating actual cases, you will enhance skills in effective listening and communication, interviewing, counseling, negotiating, problem-solving, and alternative methods of dispute resolution.

In preparation for fieldwork, you must complete a two-day, 16-hour basic mediation course approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio. This training is held the week before the start of the fall semester.

  • Lucas County Juvenile Court – Mediation Services
  • Northwest Ohio Court Mediation Services
  • Southeast Dispute Resolution Services
  • Toledo Municipal Court – Citizens Dispute Settlement Program

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Public Service Externship

The Public Service Externship allows you to explore many areas of interest. Placements include courts, government agencies, and public service organizations. While most students extern within Lucas County, some out-of-town placements are available, particularly during the summer term.

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Questions?

Contact Professor Maara Fink at 419.530.4236 or maara.fink@utoledo.edu.

Last Updated: 3/14/24