Summer International Legal Externship Program

Program Details

The Summer International Legal Externship Program is for students interested in international public interest or private sector externship placements.

Students work with members of our faculty to secure a diverse range of placements. Students generally commit to working as an extern for 6-12 weeks during the summer depending on the specific placement. Summer International Legal Externship Program externships can be for academic credit (45 hours of placement work per one academic credit) or completed for no academic credit. The Program predominantly offers in-person international externships, but remote international externships are offered on occasion. Participating students must be supervised by an attorney at their international externship placement and they must be assigned legally related work.

Suffolk Law School continually develops relationships with international placements. Interested students should consult with Externship Director Professor Mary Sawicki concerning details of available placements.

Recent placements that students have externed at include:

Eligibility


DAY STUDENTS & HYBRID JD STUDENTS
Any day or hybrid JD student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after the fall semester of their first year is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the summer after their first year. Any day or hybrid JD student who has a GPA below 2.67 after the fall semester of their first year is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the summer after their first year. Thereafter, all day and hybrid JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at time of their applications.

EVENING STUDENTS
Any evening student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after their third semester is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their second year. Any evening student who has a GPA below 2.67 after their third semester is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their second year. Thereafter, all evening JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at the time of their applications.

ACCELERATED JD STUDENTS
Any day accelerated JD student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after their first semester (summer) is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their first full year (third semester). Any accelerated JD student who has a GPA below 2.67 after their first semester (summer) is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the spring of their first full year (third semester). Thereafter, all day accelerated JD students will be eligible to apply for externships, provided they meet all program requirements and are in good academic standing at the time of their applications.

Any evening accelerated JD student who meets all externship program requirements and has a GPA above 2.67 after their third semester (spring) is eligible to apply for an externship to begin during the following summer. Any evening accelerated JD student who has a GPA below 2.67 after their third semester (spring) is ineligible to apply for an externship to begin during the following summer.

How to Apply

Application deadlines vary depending on the placement organization. Interested students are required to meet with Externship Director Professor Mary Sawicki ([email protected]) in order to discuss the details of available summer placements. In addition, students may identify their own placement organization based on a particular practice area or region, but those students must still work with Professor Sawicki to get their placement approved.

  • Meet with Externship Director Professor Mary Sawicki
  • Student submits a cover letter and resume to Professor Sawicki for a particular placement. Students may apply for more than one placement.
  • Professor Sawicki forwards resume and cover letter to the placement for consideration.
  • Professor Sawicki schedules a ZOOM interview with the student and the placement if indicated by the placement.
  • If a student is selected to participate in the externship, then Professor Sawicki provides to the student the online link to the externship application. Once the student submits the completed application, Professor Sawicki notifies the student of the approval.
  • Unpaid placements may be for 2-5 credits (placement credits may vary) and paid placements may be for 2-3 credits in the Summer International Legal Externship Program. Students are responsible for all their own transportation and living expenses. Students must pay for academic credits in the summer. Scholarships/stipends may be offered to international summer externship students. Please consult with Professor Sawicki about possible scholarship/stipend requirements and availability.
  • Students who are approved to participate in a summer international externship are required to participate in a one credit externship class which is usually held virtually over three days the first week of the summer session. Please consult with Professor Sawicki about the details of the externship class.