McGeorge Externships

An externship is an academic course that combines supervised legal work at an approved placement with a faculty-guided classroom component. Students earn academic credit while gaining practical legal experience, developing professional skills, and reflecting on their growth as future lawyers.

Externships are educational experiences, not legal employment.

Eligibility to Participate in the Externships

Students must meet the following requirements to be considered for an externship:

1. Only students who have completed a minimum of 28 credit hours are eligible to earn credit for an externship.
2. Students on academic probation are not permitted to enroll in an externship.
3. Students repeating an externship at the same office must have approval from the Director of Externships.
4. Students must be able to attend the seminar component of the externship throughout the semester.
5. Students must report to the Director of Externships if you receive pay while you are at an approved Externship Site.
6. Some Externship Sites will require externs to become a Certified Law Student Program by the California Bar. In these instances, students must follow the instructions listed below on this website.
7. Some Externship Sites will require you to successfully complete a background check and/or to be a U.S. citizen. Check the requirements before applying.

Approved Extern Sites

To be eligible as an Externship Site, a placement must be a governmental entity, legislative office, non-profit organization, or a court of competent jurisdiction.

Law firms are not eligible to become Externship Sites.

Experiential Learning Capstone Limit

Students are required to complete two experiential learning capstones, which can be met as follows:

Two Semesters of Clinics
Two Semesters of Externships
One Semester of Clinic and one semester of Externship
One 7-unit or 14-unit Externship

A student wanting to complete more than the required number of capstones must meet with the Dean of Students for approval and have approval of the Clinic Director or Externships Director in the program the student is requesting the additional experiential learning units.

Hours Required to Extern

To earn academic credit a student must extern with the approved externship site for the required hours to earn the corresponding award of units during a fall and spring semesters each of the 14-week semester:

3 units require a minimum of 12 hours a week.
4 units require a minimum of 15 hours a week.
7 units require 20 hours a week.
14 units require 40 hours a week.

To earn academic credit a student must extern with the approved externship site for the required hours to earn the corresponding award of units during the summer semester for each of the 10-weeks:

3 units require a minimum of 15 hours a week.
4 units require a minimum of 20 hours a week.
7 units require 28 hours a week.

Students must complete their required hours during the designated academic term.

Paid Externships

Restriction on Units for Paid Work

If a student receives pay for work under Law 954, 956, or 961 series, no course credit will be given.  The only exception is for approved externship site work completed for non-profit, governmental entities, legislative offices, or courts that offer compensation. Travel stipends or reimbursement for expenses (does not cover tuition) actually incurred will not be regarded as pay. 2L and 3L students may not work more than 20 hours per week unless it is for an academic credit externship placement or judicial externship.

Can I receive pay and academic credit for an externship?

Yes. Beginning Aug. 1, 2026, students may receive compensation while simultaneously earning academic credit for qualifying externships. Compensation may include hourly wages, stipends, travel reimbursement, or other employer-provided compensation, provided the placement otherwise satisfies McGeorge's academic requirements and is an approved externship site.

Does every externship have to be paid?

No. Whether an externship is paid is entirely up to the employer. Many excellent government, judicial, and nonprofit placements remain unpaid.

Does being paid change the academic requirements?

No. Paid externships are held to exactly the same educational standards as unpaid externships.

Students must still complete: required fieldwork hours, seminar requirements, reflective assignments, administrative requirements, evaluations, and faculty supervision.

Can I receive a stipend, fellowship, grant, or travel reimbursement?

Yes. Compensation can include wages, stipends, fellowships, grants, or travel reimbursement depending upon the employer or funding source.

If I already work for an employer, can I receive externship credit?

Only if the proposed work satisfies all externship educational requirements and is an approved externship site approved by the Director of Externships before the semester begins.

Will paid externships receive less faculty oversight?

No. All externships (paid or unpaid) must satisfy the same ABA and McGeorge academic requirements, including faculty supervision, opportunities for reflection, feedback, and evaluation.

Will I be treated like an employee instead of a student?

Externs often perform meaningful legal work similar to that assigned to law clerks, but the placement must also provide an educational experience that includes supervision, mentoring, regular feedback, and opportunities for professional development.

Should I choose a paid externship over an unpaid one?

Not necessarily. The best externship is the one that provides the strongest educational experience, meaningful supervision, and opportunities to develop professional skills and networks. Compensation is one factor to consider, but it should not be the only factor.

Where can I find more Information about the Externships Program?

Students will find detailed information regarding the Externships program on 12Twenty, located in the Resource Library, Externships folder.  You will use your 12Twenty login to access our information, and other information on this website.

You can also schedule an appointment with Director of Externships on 12Twenty.

Judicial Externships

Interested in a judicial externship?  Then review the information on 12Twenty and schedule an appointment with the Director of Externships to discuss the application process.

How do I Convert an Internship into an Externship?

How do I convert an Internship into an Externship? If you have an internship at an approved Externship Site, please complete the Notice of Intent, then email the details to the Externships Program at Sacexternships@pacific.edu.

Student-initiated Approval of Potential New Externship Site

Seeking approval of a new Externship Site?

If you have a potential externship site where you would like to extern for a semester, and they are interested in having you extern with them, here is what you need to know to have the externship site approved.

1. Potentially eligible for externship sites include government entities, departments, offices, agencies; legislative offices; non-profit organizations, and the courts; federal, state, municipal, tribal, and special jurisdiction.
2. We do not approve law firms as externship sites.
3. You can now receive pay and extern credit at approved externships sites that offer pay.
4. The potential externship site must have a legal team who is willing to meet the criteria for our Externship Sites and complete our Externship Site Proposal Form for the evaluation, review, and approval.
5. Contact the Director of Externships to inquire about whether a potential externship site is a candidate for approval, and further instructions and details.
6. All potential externship sites must be evaluated, reviewed, and approved to become an approved externship site.
7. Only approved externship sites can earn you academic credit.
8. You will need to provide the Director of Externships with the name of the organization and supervising attorney for the potential new externship site.
9. The Director of Externships will follow up with the organization and supervising attorney at the potential externship site to proceed with the evaluation and review for the approval process.
10. The approval process can require up to two months – plan accordingly. Last minute requests before a semester starts do not guarantee the externship for the upcoming semester.

Certified Law Student Program

The State Bar of California has passed new rules for becoming a certified law student.

 See https://www.calbar.ca.gov/admissions/special-admissions/certified-law-student-program. McGeorge students applying for approval in the Certified Law Student Program should send their Declaration – Law School Official to SacStudentAffairs@pacific.edu. 

California Certified Law Student Program

The State Bar of California’s Certified Law Student (CLS) Program, formerly known as the Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS) Program, certifies law students to provide legal services as permitted by rule 9.42(d) of the California Rules of Court under the supervision of an attorney. The program is also governed by Title 3, Division 1, Chapter 1 of the Rules of the State Bar (pdf).

You must first register as a law student with the State Bar’s Office of Admissions. The registration application is available in the Applicant Portal.

To be eligible for the CLS Program, you must:

• Be a law student currently enrolled in a JD program:
  • At a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, or accredited by or registered with the Committee of Bar Examiners; and
  • Have successfully completed one full year of studies, a minimum of 270 hours; passed the First-Year Law Students’ Exam, if required; and be enrolled in a second, third, or fourth year of law school in good academic standing.
• Be a law student currently enrolled in an LLM program:
  • At a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, or accredited by or registered with the Committee of Bar Examiners;
  • Have a degree from a law school in a foreign jurisdiction that authorizes the applicant to practice law in that jurisdiction and is acceptable to the State Bar under the State Bar’s Guidelines for Foreign-Educated General Applicants with a First Degree in Law; and
  • Have successfully completed one semester or two quarters in an LLM program; and be enrolled in a second or subsequent semester, or third or subsequent quarter, in good academic standing.
• Be a law student in the Law Office Study Program:
  • Have successfully completed one full year of studies in a law school or in the Law Office Study Program; passed the First-Year Law Students’ Exam, if required; and be actively continuing the study of law through the Law Office Study Program.

Applicants who graduate from a JD program, complete one year in an LLM program, or complete their law study through the Law Office Study Program can apply for the CLS Program up to 30 days after graduation or completion of their studies.

You are ineligible for the program if:

• You are licensed to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction;
• You did not take the first administration of the California Bar Exam for which you were eligible, as determined by the State Bar; or
• You took and received results for your first eligible California Bar Exam.

Applying for the program

If it is your first time participating in the program, complete and submit the Application for the Certified Law Student Program with the fee in the Applicant Portal. You must also upload the following documents with the online application:

• A declaration (pdf) from each Supervising Attorney, and
• A declaration from an official at your law school, or the attorney or judge supervising you (pdf) in the Law Office Study Program.

Please see the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines for the current application fee.

Adding or changing Supervising Attorney

If you are adding or changing a Supervising Attorney at your current employer or agency, you must submit a CLS Extension–Supervising Attorney Change application in the Applicant Portal. You must include a declaration (pdf) from each new Supervising Attorney and the required fee.

If you are adding or changing to a new employer or agency, you must submit a new Application for the Certified Law Student Program in the Applicant Portal. In addition, a separate declaration must be submitted for each Supervising Attorney, along with the required fee.

Application processing

All items must be submitted before an application will be considered complete. Applications are typically processed within one month of the date the State Bar receives a complete and accurate application. If the application is not completed accurately, it will delay your certification to participate in the program. If you fail to complete the application, submit all required documentation, or pay the required fee within 60 days of the incomplete notice, your application will be deemed abandoned without a refund of any fees paid. A new application will be required if you wish to participate in the program.

Once your CLS application has been approved, the Office of Admissions will email the Notice of Student Certification to you, your law school, and your Supervising Attorney(s) . You are not permitted to engage in activities under the Certified Law Student Program until the State Bar has approved your application and sent the Notice of Student Certification.

Questions?

For questions related to the CLS Program, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@calbar.ca.gov or 800-843-9053.

Related links

• Rule 9.42. Certified law students of the California Rules of Court
• Title 3, Division 1, Chapter 1 of the Rules of the State Bar (pdf)
• Supervising Attorney Declaration (pdf)
• Declaration - Law School Official (pdf) or LOS Supervisor (pdf)
• Schedule of Charges and Deadlines
• Client Consent to Representation: Model Form (pdf) – This form can be used when the written consent of the client is required under Rule 9.42 for the certified student to perform an activity.
• CLS Program FAQs

LAW 954.  Externship.  3 or 4 Units

Students perform on-site legal work as externs under the supervision of externship supervisors in government agencies (criminal law and civil law), legislative offices, or non-profit entities which specialize in the practice of civil law

 LAW 956.  Externship - Judicial.  3, 4, 7, or 14 Units

Students perform on-site legal work with judges/justices, court research attorneys, and court self-help offices at California Superior Courts, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, U.S. Courts, including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, District Courts, and specialty courts, or other jurisdictional courts as approved by the Director of Externships. Information on eligibility to participate in the 7- or 14-unit Judicial Externship, please schedule an appointment with the Director of Externships.

LAW 960.  Externship - 7 Units

Semester in Practice Accelerated Honors Program. Students perform on-site legal work as half-time externs or full-time externs during an academic semester under the supervision of an externship supervisor in a court, government agency, legislative office, or nonprofit organization.  This course is only for JD students in the Accelerated Honor Program.

LAW 961.  Externship - Semester in Practice.  7 or 14 Units.  

Students perform on-site legal work (criminal law and civil law) as half-time externs (minimum of 280 hours) or full-time (minimum of 560 hours) externs during a semester under the supervision of an externships site supervisor in a government agency or nonprofit organization, or in a legislative office.  Information on eligibility to participate in the Semester-in-Practice, please schedule an appointment with the Director of Externships.

LAW 957.  Externship - Seminar.  

Externship participants are also concurrently required to enroll in an externship seminar, which includes seminar meetings, complete guided reflections or other assignments, attend individual meetings, and complete other program modules and requirements throughout the semester.

Only students who have completed a minimum of 28 credit hours are eligible to earn credit for an externship.

• Students on academic probation are not permitted to enroll in an externship.
• Students can register for two experiential learning capstones in different semesters; two semesters in clinics; two 3-or-4-unit externships, one 7-or-14-unit semester externship; or one semester in a clinic and one semester in an externship.
• Students repeating an externship at the same office must have approval from the Director of Externships and submit a request for approval setting forth a statement from the Supervising Attorney as to what assignments are different and more substantive than their first experience.
• Students externing also enroll in an externship seminar, which includes seminar meetings, complete guided reflections or other assignments, attend individual meetings, and complete other program modules and requirements throughout the semester.
• Students may be required to undergo a background check or be U.S. citizens. When completing externship site form all requests for release of documents must be sent to the Dean of Students at SacStudentAffairs@pacific.edu.
• Some Externship Sites will require externs to become a Certified Law Student (CLS) by the California Bar. In these instances, students must follow the instructions found elsewhere on this website to apply for certification/

Earn Academic Credit While Receiving Compensation

McGeorge School of Law permits students to receive compensation from approved externship sites while simultaneously earning academic credit for qualifying externships.

What You Should Know

• Students may receive pay, stipends, hourly wages, travel reimbursement, or other compensation from approved externship sites while earning academic credit.
• Paid externships must meet the same academic standards and educational requirements as unpaid externships.
• Compensation does not reduce the learning objectives, supervision, reflective assignments, or seminar requirements.
• Existing internships or employment at approved organizations may, in some circumstances, be eligible for academic credit if they satisfy all Externships Program requirements and receive prior approval.
• Students must disclose compensation received as part of the externship approval process.
• Paid externships are limited to government, nonprofit, legislative, and court roles.

Our Commitment

McGeorge remains committed to ensuring that every externship, whether paid or unpaid, provides a meaningful educational experience.

Questions? 

Schedule an appointment on 12Twenty with the Director of Externships to discuss whether a paid position or internship may qualify for academic credit.

Strategy Meeting with Externships

• To improve your opportunities for great Externship experiences you may want to meet with the Externships Program Director to fully discuss your options, details regarding the Program, and the best Externship Site for you. You should come prepared to discuss:
  • eligibility and when to extern
  • goals for your externship
  • practice areas that interest you
  • skills and abilities you are interested in developing
  • Externship Sites that interest you and why
  • your academic schedule
  • •our activities and outside school commitments
  • your career plan
  • your experiential learning units and total units towards graduation.

Before Applying

• Review Directory
  • Complete the Notice of Intent
  • Meet with Director
  • Prepare résumé and requested documents
• Applying
  • Interview
  • Background checks (as required)
  • Accept offer

Externships are academic courses that combine supervised legal work with faculty-guided reflection. Students earn academic credit while developing practical skills, receiving professional feedback, and learning about the responsibilities of legal practice.

This page summarizes the principal requirements. Current students should consult the Externship Handbook for complete policies, application procedures, deadlines, and forms. McGeorge’s current General and Academic Rules and Externships Program requirements control if there is any conflict between this summary and those materials.

Eligibility and Advance Approval

To participate in an externship, a student must:

• Have completed at least 28 units of law school coursework;
• Be in good academic standing;
• Obtain an offer from an approved externship site;
• Receive approval from the Externships Office; and
• Enroll in both the appropriate externship course and its accompanying seminar.

Students on academic probation are not eligible to participate in an externship. Placements and registration must be approved before the externship begins; academic credit cannot be awarded retroactively.

Approved Placements and Supervision

McGeorge approves externships with:

• Government agencies;
• Courts;
• Nonprofit organizations; and
• Legislative offices.

Private law firms and other for-profit employers are not eligible externship sites.

Externs must perform substantive legal or law-related work under the supervision of an attorney or judge who can provide instruction, regular feedback, and an evaluation of the student’s performance. Every placement must be approved by the Externships Office, including placements that students locate independently.

Some sites require background investigations, security clearances, or certification through the California State Bar’s Practical Training of Law Students program. Because these processes can take several months, students should apply well in advance.

Academic Requirements

Externships and the Capstone Requirement

Students must complete two transformational capstone experiences of at least three (3) units each. At least one capstone must be a McGeorge Legal Clinic or Externship.  The second may be another clinic or externship, Mock Trial, or Moot Court. Note that one 7-unit or 14-unit externship will meet both capstone requirements. However, only 7 units of a 14-unit externship will be applied to the total 11 required experiential learning units.

An externship satisfies a capstone requirement when the student enrolls for at least three units and successfully completes both the fieldwork and accompanying seminar. Students must also complete additional approved experiential coursework for a total of 11 experiential learning units required for graduation. 

Externship Credits

Standard externships are generally offered for three or four units. An externship must be at least three units to satisfy a transformational capstone requirement.

• Three units: 12 hours of fieldwork a week for the 14-week fall and spring semesters, and 15 hours of field work a week for the 10-week summer semester.
• Four units: 15 hours of fieldwork a week for the 14-week fall and spring semesters, and 20 hours of field work a week for the 10-week summer semester.
• Seven units (Semester in Practice): 20 hours of fieldwork a week for the 14-week fall and spring semesters, and 28 hours of field work a week for the 10-week summer semester.
• Fourteen units (Semester in Practice/Judicial Externship): 40 hours of fieldwork a week for the 14-week fall and spring semesters, not available for the the 10-week summer semester.

Students must complete their required hours during the designated academic term.

All externship students participate in an accompanying seminar that includes class meetings, guided reflection, assignments, and other academic requirements. Failure to participate satisfactorily in both the placement and the seminar may prevent a student from receiving credit.

Higher-unit Semester-in-Practice externships are available to eligible students who wish to devote a substantial portion, or all, of a semester to an approved placement. These externships require additional academic eligibility, advance planning, and approval. Current students can find detailed requirements in 12twenty.

Students generally may participate in no more than two externships or clinics without additional approval. Enrollment in a clinic and an externship during the same semester also requires express approval.

Paid Externships

Beginning with the Fall 2026 semester, students may receive compensation from an approved externship site while earning academic credit.

Paid and unpaid externships are subject to the same academic requirements. Compensation does not change the requirements for site approval, substantive legal work, qualified supervision, fieldwork hours, participation in the seminar, reflection, feedback, or evaluation.

McGeorge’s approval concerns the academic component of the externship. The student and externship site remain responsible for the terms and administration of any compensation arrangement.

Responsibilities During the Externship

Enrollment represents a commitment to both the externship site and the Externships Program. Students are expected to:

• Attend regularly and punctually;
• Complete all required fieldwork and seminar assignments;
• Establish learning goals and seek feedback;
• Follow applicable confidentiality, professional-conduct, workplace, and academic-integrity requirements; and
• Complete required time records and evaluations.

Students must promptly consult the Externships Office about any significant proposed change in duties, supervision, schedule, work location, compensation, or placement status. A student may not start late, finish early, withdraw from the placement, or materially change the arrangement without required approval. Dismissal from a placement precludes the award of academic credit.

Additional Information

Current students should consult the Externship Handbook for more detailed information about rules and policies.

Questions may be directed to the Externships Office at sacexternships@pacific.edu.

12twenty is the Externship Office's web-based experiential learning services management system. 12twenty gives you the tools to:

• Maintain the administration requirements for the semester externship experience,
• Access Externship Programs in the Resource Library including,
  • View all Externships Program materials
  • Directory of Approved Externships
  • Forms
  • Sign-up for events
• Schedule an appointment with the Director of Externships

Interested in joining us?  

We look forward to hearing from you about your interest in providing legal work supervision to McGeorge law students. Helpful information for you when deciding to join us includes:

Student Eligibility

Students are eligible to receive academic credit after they have completed 28 units of academic classes.  This is after the 1L for full-time students and 2L for part-time students.

Students in the McGeorge Externships Program pursue unique opportunities to gain practical experience under attorney supervision in externships. Externship sites include government entities, courts, legislative offices, and nonprofit entities. 

Approval Required

Externship proposals require advance approval by the Externships Director and the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning. Please contact the Externships Office at the email or telephone number below, if interested in becoming an approved Externship Site.

Supervising McGeorge students.  Our externships track our academic calendar.

McGeorge School of Law expects employers and students to schedule interviews outside of student class times, and to avoid their exam period, and the work to track our academic calendar. Here is a link to the academic calendar.

Background checks

If  you require a background check, students are required to have cleared the required background check before the start of the semester for  which they will extern.  When an externship site requests a release for school related information you should direct their request to the Dean of Students, SacStudentAffairs@pacific.edu. 

If you are interested in becoming an externship site, please contact us at the email address or phone number below, we will follow up with you and send you additional information.

Contact Us

Externships
Email | 916.739.7188
Colleen Truden, Director

Our Career Services Office (CSO) also offers virtual interview programs twice a year, along with several career fairs, including our Public Interest and Government Fair, our Post-Graduate Job Fair, and our Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair.  If you are interested in participating in any of these events, Contact: Isabella Hannon, Director of Recruitment | 916.739.7339 | ihannon@pacific.edu