Responsibilities of Clinic Students

On-campus clinics:  Off-campus application deadlines do not apply to on-campus clinical placements, such as, The Center For Conflict Resolution, the Western  Law Center for Disability Rights, the Disability Mediation Center and the Cancer Legal Resource Center.  Students should apply directly to these Programs.

Clinic Eligibility:  Students are eligible to participate in a clinic after the completion of the first year of studies.  For part-time clinics, the minimum eligible cumulative GPA for a part-time externship is 2.33. A minimum verified cumulative GPA of 3.33 is required for an externship of more than six units.  Students on Academic Probation may not enroll in an externship, including the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) course.  Academic probation is a GPA below 2.33. The maximum number of externship units a student may complete during his/her legal education is 14.

Approved Opportunities:  Clinic opportunities must be selected from the approved list maintained in the Externship Office, or have advance approval from the Faculty Externship Director, for any placement not on the approved list.  Unapproved clinics may not be confirmed.

Time Commitment:  A clinic unit requires 52 hours of legal services performed under the supervision of a licensed attorney.  Part-time clinics may range from 2-6 units.  Full-time judicial clinics are ten units and required participation in a concurrent tutorial course taught by the Faculty Externship Director.  All hours must be completed during the semester in which the student is enrolled.  There are no exceptions or waivers to the concurrent tutorial course requirement for full-time externs.

Professional Obligations/Confidentiality:  Students must perform all legal services professionally under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney.  Students shall not reveal information designated as confidential by The Center.  Students shall not disclose the identity of a Party or reveal information leading to the disclosure of the identity of a Party without the express advance authorization of The Center.  Students shall redact all written work submitted to The Center to comply with the confidentiality rules of the workplace and of the legal profession.

Second Year Judicial Externships:  Second year students may not enroll in a full-time judicial externship in the Fall semester of the second year of studies.  Second year students may not enroll in a full-time judicial externship in the Spring semester of the second year if the externship conflicts with a required course, such as, Ethical Lawyering. Second year students receive no preference in registration for required classes, nor will enrollment in required classes be waived if required classes conflict with a full-time judicial externship or any part-time clinic.

Activity Journals:  Students must prepare and submit regular activity journals and time sheets on established due dates.  The journal/time sheet must be typewritten.  Each document must be signed by the supervising attorney for the hours to be credited towards course completion.  Journal entries must be organized on a daily basis and rounded off to the nearest quarter hour.

Withdrawal:  No student may withdraw from a clinic until adequate safeguards for the handling of cases and/or Party problems assigned to the student have been arranged in advance with The Center.

Clinics/Public Interest Graduation Requirement:  Completion of a minimum of two units at a qualified public interest placement automatically fulfills the public interest graduation requirement. Completion of the one unit Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) course automatically satisfies the requirement.

Prohibition on Compensation:  Students may not receive compensation for legal services performed in the clinic other than reimbursement for incidental expenses, such as, parking or photocopying.

First Year Summer Limitations: Students who have completed the first year of day or evening studies may enroll in a maximum of six Summer Session externship units.  If finalized first year grades place an extern on academic probation, a maximum of four externship units are permitted.