A semester in practice (private field placement) is an opportunity for students to work in a private law firm or corporate setting (i.e. in-house in a corporate legal department), to experience the day-to-day operations of the firm or corporate office, and to observe lawyers in practice.
How do I identify a Private Field Placement?
A student interested in the Semester in Practice program is responsible for identifying both the law firm or corporate office and a licensed attorney at the firm or office who is willing to serve as a supervisor.
Students should begin planning at least one semester before they intend to participate in a private field placement.
The supervisor must be an attorney who has been licensed to practice law for a minimum of 2 years. The supervisor must agree to meet all law school requirements to qualify for an unpaid private field placement, including providing assignments and feedback, signing hour logs, assisting the student in identifying field placement goals and completing an evaluation.
For additional information on finding placements, refer to the Placements section on the homepage.
What if I am offered a position before my other interviews are completed?
Think seriously about where you would like to have a field placement before submitting an application. Apply only to those firms and companies where you would accept if given an offer.
If you are given an offer, be prepared to accept it and politely cancel the remainder of your scheduled interviews. Never accept a position and then later decline to accept another. Try to schedule your interviews in the order of your preference. Your tact and professionalism in these matters are critical to your reputation.
How many private field placement units can I take?
Students may take a maximum of 6 private field placement units during their tenure at Loyola, subject to the following limits:
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- A private field placement requires a minimum commitment of 2 units and is limited to a maximum commitment of 4 units in the fall or spring semester. This means during the fall or spring semester, students may choose to do 2, 3, or 4 units.
- During the summer term only, students are permitted to enroll in 1 unit of private field placement. During the summer, students may choose to do 1, 2, 3, or 4 private field placement units.
Please note that units taken during the summer are not part of a student’s regular tuition. Thus, students should check with the Student Accounts office as to tuition costs per unit during the summer term. - Students may not do more than one private field placement during the fall or spring semester without approval from the Field Placement Department. During the summer term, students may do more than one private field placement provided they do not exceed the unit maximums described above. Students must also receive written confirmation from the firms/companies that the student wishes to extern at, approving employment at both, and confirming that there is no conflict in working at both placements.
- A private field placement requires a minimum commitment of 2 units and is limited to a maximum commitment of 4 units in the fall or spring semester. This means during the fall or spring semester, students may choose to do 2, 3, or 4 units.
Can I extern at the same firm/company in multiple semesters?
Yes, so long as the student does not exceed the 6 unit maximum for private field placement units.