Course Descriptions - School of Law - University of San Diego

Fall 2026 Class Descriptions: Clinics and Externships

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

California Regulatory Law Clinic I & II (LWVL502)

2 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Public Interest Law (JD)
Prerequisite(s): CA Regulatory Law and Public Interest

This Clinic, offered in both the Fall and the Spring semesters, is highly recommended for the Public Interest Law Concentration. This Clinic is associated with California Regulatory Law and the Public Interest, and offers students an experiential opportunity to complement the knowledge gained from that class. In the Clinic, each student is assigned to monitor one or more state agencies, and does so by attending agency meetings (or watching them online), analyzing regulatory proposals, monitoring legislation and litigation impacting the agency, and more. In addition to drafting periodic tweets and blogs about their agencies during the semester, at the end of the semester students write articles on their agencies for publication in the California Regulatory Law Reporter, which appears on Westlaw. This enables students to achieve, prior to graduation, publication in the major state administrative law publication. Students in this Clinic meet with Prof. Friedman and Consumer Protection Policy Center staff weekly to inform and guide their work.

Note:

California Regulatory Clinic II is LWVL512

Additional Information: Public Interest Law Concentration

Child Advocacy Policy Clinic I & II (LWVL505)

Instructor(s): Jessica Heldman

1-3 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Prerequisite(s): Child Rights & Remedies

In this clinic, students work with Staff Attorneys at USD Law’s Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI) on legislative and regulatory policy advocacy projects, impact litigation, public education, and/or policy research and analysis of issues that affect children, with an emphasis on children in the foster care system. Students are supervised by Professor Jessica Heldman and projects can include working remotely with CAI’s National Policy Advocate in Washington DC, CAI’s California Policy Advocate in Sacramento, or with local San Diego staff. This clinic provides an exciting opportunity to experience how laws and regulations get developed, enacted, and enforced on behalf of an important and vulnerable group of individuals. To participate, students must have completed or be enrolled in Child Rights and Remedies. Clinic slots are limited; contact Professor Jessica Heldman if interested.

Note:

This clinic may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Child Advocacy Policy Clinic II is LWVL506.

Additional Information: Children's Rights JD Concentration

Child Advocacy Practicum - Dependency I & II (LWVL507)

Instructor(s): Jessica Heldman

4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Prerequisite(s): See course description

Practicum students assist attorneys from Children’s Legal Services of San Diego (CLSSD) or Dependency Legal Services of San Diego (DLSSD) in the representation of abused and neglected children or their parents, respectively, in Dependency Court proceedings. Dependency Court is the division of Juvenile Court where all decisions are made as to the legal rights of children who are found to be abused or neglected. Dependency Practicum students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences, such as interviewing clients and witnesses; presenting evidence during bench trials; preparing briefs and memoranda; participating in Child and Family Team meetings, conducting field work with investigators; and making court appearances as necessary and appropriate. Dependency Practicum interns must work at least 16 hours per week with their supervising attorneys. In addition, practicum students meet as a group once weekly for a one-hour classroom component. Students must have completed or be enrolled in Evidence, Civil Procedure and Child Rights and Remedies. Practicum slots are limited; students must obtain a permission slip from Professor Jessica Heldman to register for the course.

Note:

This practicum may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Child Advocacy Practicum - Dependency II is LWVL508

Additional Information: Children's Rights JD Concentration

Child Advocacy Practicum - Youth Justice I & II (LWVL503)

Instructor(s): Jessica Heldman

4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Prerequisite(s): See course description

Practicum students work with the attorneys in the Juvenile Division of the Public Defender’s Office to represent youth in Juvenile Court proceedings to ensure their legal rights are protected and that they receive the appropriate educational, mental, physical, and other services they need if adjudicated delinquent. Practicum students interview clients, prepare and argue motions, and participate in San Diego’s specialized collaborative Behavioral Health Court program (BHC) for youth with mental health diagnoses who are on probation. Participation in BHC provides interns the opportunity to review comprehensive case files of youth to identify areas of need and then advocate on the youth’s behalf with regard to issues such as special education services, school placement, mental health assessments/services, and health care, in order to address underlying issues that might be contributing to the youth’s delinquency. Youth Justice Practicum interns must work at least 16 hours per week at the Public Defender’s Office. In addition, practicum students meet as a group once per week for a one-hour classroom component. Students must have completed or be enrolled in Evidence, Civil Procedure and Child Rights and Remedies. Clinic slots are limited; students must obtain a permission slip from Professor Jessica Heldman to register for the course.

Note:

This practicum may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Please note this practicum has been renamed - it used to be named Child Advocacy Clinic: Youth Justice I & II.

Child Advocacy Practicum - Youth Justice II is LWVL504.

Additional Information: Children's Rights JD Concentration

Civil Clinic I (LWVL510)

Instructor(s): Katherine Parker, Joe Villasenor

2-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD)
Prerequisite(s): Civil Procedure
Recommended Class(es): Trial Advocacy

The Civil Clinic A Sections: Federal Litigation & Civil Rights Section, taught by Professor Katherine Parker, lays the foundation for your litigation career, providing you with the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in real cases pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Students take an active role under supervision of experienced attorneys to handle all facets of litigation including initial client interviews, providing counsel and advice, drafting complaints, discovery, law and motion practice, negotiating settlements, and in some cases even trial practice. Students approved under the District Court's Student Practice Rule will also have the opportunity to make court appearances and take or defend depositions. The cases tend to focus on civil rights, immigration rights, and enforcing federal statutes such as the Freedom of Information Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Students meet weekly for in depth discussion of cases and instruction on the underlying substantive and procedural law. The clinic is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis.

The Civil Clinic B Sections: Consumer Justice, taught by Professor Joe Villaseñor, lays the foundation for your litigation career, providing you with the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in real cases pending before the San Diego Superior Court and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Students take an active role under supervision of experienced attorneys to handle all facets of litigation including initial client interviews, providing counsel and advice, drafting complaints, discovery, law and motion practice, negotiating settlements, and in some cases even trial practice. Students certified by the State Bar will also have the opportunity to make court appearances and take or defend depositions when available. The cases tend to focus on vindicating individual consumer rights, consumer fraud matters, and ensuring clients are treated fairly in our judicial system by providing competent representation. The cases emphasize protecting consumers in the marketplace and obtaining economic justice for the wrongs they have suffered. Students meet weekly for in depth discussion of cases and instruction on the underlying substantive and procedural law. The clinic is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis.

Note: There are limitations on JD concentration eligibility. Please check the Civil Litigation Concentration web page for more information.
Additional Information: Civil Litigation Concentration

Civil Clinic II (LWVL511)

Instructor(s): Katherine Parker, Joe Villasenor

1-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD)
Prerequisite(s): Civil Procedure, Evidence
Recommended Class(es): Trial Advocacy

Clinic II interns refine their skills, working on complex cases and cases already begun as Clinic I interns. Students may mentor first time clinic participants, serve as lead student attorney on cases, and have additional opportunities to appear in court. Supervising attorneys/adjunct professors provide individualized coaching, based on the Clinic II interns needs and interests. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Clinic I in the same clinic. The clinic is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis.

Corporate Counsel Externship I (LWVL591)

Instructor(s): Beth Baier

1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Employment and Labor Law (JD), Health Law (JD), Intellectual Property (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Business and Corporate Law (LLMUS), Intellectual Property (LLMUS), Employment and Labor Law (LLMG), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG)

The Corporate Counsel Externship Program consists of a work component and a class component and allows students to earn academic credit working in the legal department of a corporation, company or other business entity. Students may also work in other departments of a corporation as long as they are supervised by an on-site licensed attorney. Students must work during the academic session for a minimum of 50 hours per unit of credit and may receive 1-6 credits. For purposes of corporate counsel externship work, the academic session is from the official start of classes to the last day of final exams. No academic credit may be earned for corporate counsel externship work outside this time period.

Academic requirements include: mandatory orientation, student journals submitted to the professor relating to the field placement work; discussion boards on legal practice topics; a four-six page reflective paper at the end of the semester, include a placement evaluation; an externship work product for professor review; and an on-site supervisor evaluation showing satisfactory completion of work experience. The Externship is graded on a Pass-Fail basis.

If you have been offered and have accepted a field placement, meet the eligibility requirements, agree to meet the course obligations and want to register for the Externship course, fill out the Field Placement Form. After you submit the form, the Office of Career and Professional Development will review it and send you an email with directions on how to enroll.

If you have any placements questions, read the FAQ's available at that link. If the FAQ's do not answer your field placement questions, contact the Office of Career and Professional Development 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: JD Concentrations Web Page, Email Office of Career and Professional Development

Corporate Counsel Externship II (LWVL589)

Instructor(s): Beth Baier

Externship II students refine their skills, with a longer opportunity to specialize their training in a specific area. Externship II is limited to students who have previously worked at a Corporate Counsel Externship placement. Please refer to Corporate Counsel Externship I description for additional requirements.

Corporate Technology Externship (LWVL570)

Instructor(s): Anthony Mauriello

1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Intellectual Property (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Business and Corporate Law (LLMUS), Intellectual Property (LLMUS), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG)

This externship places students at local law firms and companies to provide legal assistance to technology companies in the areas of corporate formation and transactions, contracts, securities, employment, and related areas. Students will be supervised by attorneys at the local law firms and companies as well as the professors. Students begin work during the first week of the semester with companies and law firms, and meet one-on-one with the professor on a regular basis.

Only students registered for the fall semester will be admitted to the spring semester, so all students must apply for the fall semester. Non-graduating students may apply for the Fall 2026 externship selection process. Applications are due Friday, April 24, 2026, at 5:00 pm. Please see the 2026-27 application linked below for more information on the selection process.

Students who will be paid corporate law clerks at law firms or companies (including students who have previously participated in the program) in 2026-27 do not need to fill out the application but instead should contact the professor to determine whether they are eligible to register to receive academic credit.

An information session on the program will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at noon in WH 3B. Interested students should attend the session or watch the Zoom recording (see upcoming Sidebars for details).

Additional Information: Application

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