Law students will be able to find employment as a(n):
Law Clerk: Paid position; no school credit. The student would engage in a variety of legal research and writing. A law clerk would typically be hired by a small or mid- sized firm or business. Law clerks can work in the summer and throughout the school year.
Summer Associate: Paid position; no school credit. These are competitive positions at large firms, which are highly valued because they often lead to an offer of permanent employment after graduation. Summer associates are recruited in the early fall of their 2L year (primarily via OCI, Resume Collection or Resume Direct). Some firms offer summer associate programs for 1Ls; however, the majority of the positions are offered to 2Ls.
Unpaid position: No school credit. These positions are only allowed in the public sector (e.g., government agencies, public interest organizations). Interns perform the same tasks of a law clerk.
Extern: Unpaid position; school credit. An extern would primarily work in the public and non-profit sector and for companies. Those hired by judges (while in law school) would also be considered an extern. There are other opportunities for externships in other sectors, such as entertainment. For more information, please visit our Externship Program.