What is the difference between an Externship and a Clinical Alliance?
Both Externships and Clinical Alliances are “field placements” in which students perform legal work under the supervision of a practicing attorney. During the Spring and Summer, students may earn Externship credits without an in-class component. During the Fall and Winter, students wishing to do a field placement must register for a Clinical Alliance and attend on-campus instruction once a week.
What is the difference between a Clinic and a Clinical Alliance?
Students participating in Clinics perform legal work for live clients under the supervision of a law school employee (faculty or adjunct faculty).
Is there a cap on Clinic credits?
No. Clinic credits are not subject to either the twelve (12) credit cap on Externship/Clinical Alliances or the ABA twenty-one (21) credit hour cap on Externships, Co-Curriculars, and Non-law credits.
How many Externship credits may I earn through Washington Semester?
For students entering law school in 2017 and 2018, if they wish to participate in Washington Semester but have already earned up to 6 hours of Externship/Clinical Alliance credits, they may earn an addition nine (9) hours of credits during the Washington Semester.
Is there a cap on Pass/Fail credits that count toward graduation?
No. The only caps on credits are the ABA 21-hour cap (Externships, Clinical Alliances, Co-Curriculars, and non-law credits), the 12-hour Externship/Clinical Alliance cap, the 6-hour Co-Curricular cap, and 4-hour Directed Research cap.
However, students who wish to graduate with Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) must complete at least 67.5 hours of graded credit from the Law School. Exceptions may be made in special circumstances (i.e., transfer students or students who visit away).
May I take any non-law course for credit?
No. Only courses that are relevant to a student’s course of law study will be approved by the Associate Dean for Research and Academic Affairs.
Are students limited to only one Co-Curricular?
No. Students may participate in multiple Co-Curriculars (i.e., Trial Advocacy and Moot Court), but may count only six (6) hours of credit toward graduation. Some students who participate in multiple Co-Curriculars for two years may max out of credits but choose to continue anyway.
May I enroll in a Clinical Alliance but have the on-campus component waived?
Waivers of the Clinical Alliance course are given only in rare circumstances, such as a student completing one Judicial Clinical Alliance in the Fall and then registering for a different Judicial Clinical Alliance in the Winter. In that case, a student may ask for a waiver of the course component. In most cases, it will not be in a student’s interest to participate in two Clinical Alliances of the same type.