Spring 2027 Class Descriptions: Clinics and Externships
Agency Externship (LWVL596)
Instructor(s): Kimberly Gosling
1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Children's Rights (JD), Civil Litigation (JD), Criminal Litigation (JD), Employment and Labor Law (JD), Environmental and Energy Law (JD), Health Law (JD), Intellectual Property (JD), International Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), LLM in Taxation (LLMT), Criminal Law (LLMG), Employment and Labor Law (LLMG), Environmental and Energy Law (LLMG), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG), LLM in International Law (LLMI), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS), Criminal Law (MSLS), Environmental and Energy Law (MSLS), Intellectual Property Law (MSLS), International Law (MSLS), Taxation (MSLS)
The Agency Externship program gives students the opportunity to gain academic credit for work in an approved government agency or non-profit organization during the fall, spring, or summer semesters. (Note: this program applies only to government and nonprofit law office work; students who wish to receive academic credit for work at a private law firm should apply for the Law Firm Externship program.) All placements are subject to approval by the professor, and students must receive approval before enrolling in the course. Students may earn 1-6 units of credit for work performed between the start of classes and the last day of final exams; work performed outside this time period does not count towards academic credit requirements.
Students may enroll in Agency Externship more than once. Academic requirements include: a mandatory orientation; time logs; individual written assignments; peer group meetings and written group assignments; a training on on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism; and a satisfactory evaluation by the on-site supervisor. Academic requirements may be changed at the discretion of the professor. The externship is graded on a pass/fail basis.
If you have been offered and have accepted a qualifying position, agree to meet the course obligations, and want to register for the course, fill out the Field Placement Form here. After you submit the form, the Law Careers office will review it and send you an email with directions on how to enroll. If you have any questions, read the FAQs available at the link to the form. If the FAQs do not answer your questions, contact the Law Careers office at lawcareers@sandiego.edu.
Note:
There are limitations on JD concentration eligibility. Please check the JD concentrations web pages for more information. Contact Law Student Affairs to find out if your work in this externship qualifies for the concentration.
Additional Information: Handbook
Appellate Clinic II (LWVL509)
Instructor(s): Michael Devitt, David Schlesinger
2 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD)
Prerequisite(s): Civil Procedure , Evidence or concurrently, Professional Responsibility or concurrently, Crim Pro I or concurrently
The Appellate Clinic is a semester-long clinic opportunity in which teams of students will enjoy the hands-on experience of litigating from start to finish an appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. During the fall semester, students take Appellate Clinic I and will write an opening brief. Students who choose to continue, take Appellate Clinic II in the spring semester. Students will write a reply brief and participate in oral argument. Additional periodic classroom sessions held throughout the academic year will focus upon appellate procedure and persuasive written and oral advocacy. From time to time, class sessions will feature guest speakers such as judges and local practicing attorneys. The Appellate Clinic is open only to third and fourth year law students; and students must have completed or take concurrently with the Appellate Clinic the following courses: Civil Procedure, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, and Criminal Procedure.
Note: There are limitations on JD concentration eligibility. Please check the Civil Litigation Concentration web page for more information.
Additional Information: Civil Litigation Concentration

