Fall 2026 Class Descriptions: Clinics and Externships
Immigration Clinic I (LWVL530)
Instructor(s): Tammy Lin
2-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): International Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), International Law (LLMUS), LLM in International Law (LLMI)
Students gain practical experience through interviewing, counseling, and representing clients with immigration-related problems. Students have the opportunity to assist clients with a range of immigration issues such as naturalization, lawful permanent residency, derivative citizenship, deferred action, and U-visa and VAWA for domestic violence and abuse victims. Students may attend U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services interviews related to their client’s applications. Students may also attend and participate in community immigration outreach. Weekly meetings are held with the clinic supervisor and other interns to discuss immigration law, practical application and casework. The clinic is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis. No Prerequisites.
Students interested in working in the clinics for either academic credit or as a volunteer must first fill out and submit the USD Legal Clinics Application for Law Students . Clinic staff will review your application and confirm enrollment.
Additional Information: International Law Concentration, Public Interest Law Concentration (JD)
Immigration Clinic II (LWVL531)
Instructor(s): Tammy Lin
1-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): International Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), International Law (LLMUS), LLM in International Law (LLMI)
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 attorney on cases, and have additional opportunities to appear in court or administrative proceedings. 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.
Students interested in working in the clinics for either academic credit or as a volunteer must first fill out and submit the USD Legal Clinics Application for Law Students . Clinic staff will review your application and confirm enrollment.
Additional Information: International Law Concentration, Public Interest Law Concentration (JD)
IP Externship (LWVL532)
Instructor(s): Ted Sichelman
1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Intellectual Property (JD), Intellectual Property (LLMUS), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG)
This course places students at local law firms and companies in the areas of patent prosecution, patent searching, trademark prosecution, filing of provisional and utility patents, intellectual property litigation, intellectual property transactions, and related areas (including copyright and trade secret law). 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 professors 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, Intellectual Property & Technology Law Concentration