In externship programs, students receive course credit for working in off-campus legal settings such as a judge’s chambers, non-profit organization, a state agency, or a corporation's in-house legal department. To ensure the educational value of the externship, a classroom or a written guided reflection component accompanies the experience.

A student's eligibility to participate in any Law School externship program is contingent on the student's being in good standing, both academically and with respect to disciplinary matters.  A student's placement in an externship program may be denied or revoked if the Law School determines that a student's conduct or academic performance makes that placement inappropriate for any reason.

Students can only count a maximum of 12 credits of externships towards their JD requirements. This 12-credit limitation applies to all externship (also known as "placement") courses, which includes all sections of LAW 855, and applies to students who matriculated in Fall 2025 and later. See Law School Rule 3.14(4) for more information.