UC Davis School of Law - Academics and Clinicals - UC-DC Law Program: Program Description

Academics and Clinicals

Program Description

Lincoln Monument, DC

Full Time Externship and Seminar

Students will receive 13 units for successful completion of the Program: 10 units (Credit/No Credit) for the full-time field placement and 3 units (graded) for the required companion seminar, "Law-Making and Law-Changing in the Nation's Capital." The Program is open to 2L and 3L students.

The Program helps students identify quality placements and apply to them. Through the UCDC Program, UC Davis law students have been placed in offices including:

• The White House

• Department of Justice

• Department of Homeland Security

• Securities & Exchange Commission

• Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

• International Intellectual Property Institute

• Environmental Protection Agency

• Fair Elections Legal Network

• RFK Center for Justice & Human Rights

• FDA, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

• Federal Communications Commission

Here is a longer list of sample placements PDF File . The Program also helps prospective and current UCDC law students connect with alumni of the program as well as with alumni of the participating schools who have made their careers in Washington. The Program Director visits each participating law school at least once a term, and is available from D.C. at other times for individual consultations with students considering applying.

NOTE: The Law School Regulations PDF File , and all policies and procedures pertaining to King Hall externships generally, will pertain to the UCDC Program.

Seminar Description

Students' externships in the UCDC Law Program have two main components: the full-time lawyering they do at the externship site, guided by their externship supervisor, reflected on in their journal and monitored and supported by the Program; and the companion course, a 3-credit once-a-week evening seminar with frequent guest speakers, lively class discussions, and a major paper by each student on a legal topic relevant to their externship.

The seminar is designed to enhance the externship experience in three principal ways:
1. Teach students about the process of federal lawmaking directly from leading government lawyers, lobbyists, public interest advocates, and journalists.
2. Allow students to explore new career opportunities unique to the lawyering in Washington as they enhance their skill sets for success in any career path.
3. Have students investigate the unique roles of lawyers in making and changing federal law and policy.
Class sessions generally include guest speakers and class discussion based on students' questions submitted in advance. Part of each session will be devoted to a "grand rounds"-style exchange to facilitate peer-to-peer learning about lawyering at the broad range of externship sites. Each student will write a final paper, typically on a legal topic selected in consultation with the instructor and the externship supervisor for educational value and salience to the office. The final classes of the term will be devoted to presentation of papers in progress. Each student will make detailed written comments on one fellow student's draft paper, and where possible will share those comments as a discussant when that paper is presented in class. A sample syllabus PDF File

for the seminar is available.