The Field Placement Program offers a diverse array of opportunities for students to experience the actual operation of legal institutions, explore the nature of attorney-client relationships, and hone the essential lawyering skills needed for their future legal careers. Under the guidance of experienced lawyers or judges, students can earn academic credit for their work.
Field placements expose students to particular areas of practice through work in specialized offices, including the judiciary, public interest organizations, government offices, and a limited number of private firms and corporations. As externs, students more fully develop their legal research and writing skills, interact with clients and develop practical skills in oral advocacy and courtroom procedure.
Talking Field Placements
Professor Grace Parrish discusses the importance of practical skills training in law school.
Key Deadlines
Applications to receive academic credit for a field placement must be submitted by or before the deadline date. No applications will be accepted after the posted date for the semester. Instructions on how to apply for field placement units can be found in the Program Handbook linked below.
| Fall 2026 | Deadline to Apply for Units |
|---|---|
| Paid Placements | July 17, 2026 |
| Unpaid Placements | July 31, 2026 |
| Spring 2027 | Deadline to Apply for Units |
|---|---|
| Paid Placements | November 30, 2026 |
| Unpaid Placements | December 14, 2026 |
For Students
Detailed information about the Field Placement Program is available in the Field Placement Program Handbook, which serves as the primary student-facing resource for program eligibility, placement types, application procedures, unit requirements, approval, enrollment, and program policies.
Students should review the handbook carefully before applying for field placement units through 12twenty. The handbook includes information about eligibility requirements, field placement categories, hours and units, application procedures, paid placements, continuing placements, and frequently asked questions.
Questions about field placement units, applications, approvals, enrollment, course requirements, or program policies may be directed to fieldplacements@lls.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A field placement is an academic opportunity to experience the day-to-day operations of various legal institutions, including public interest organizations, government offices, federal and state courts, and private firms and companies. You may participate in a field placement for units, or for no units. If you choose to earn units for your field placement, you must work with Loyola’s Field Placement Department to register for the units and comply with the policies and procedures established by the Field Placement Department.
In a field placement, externs are usually involved in all aspects of a placement's practice, such as legal research, writing, client contact and development of practical skills, including courtroom-type experience, if applicable.
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All field placements are graded on a “pass” or “fail” basis. To receive a passing grade for your units, you must complete all course requirements.
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Instructions on how to apply for field placement units can be found here.
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Yes. All field placement units count toward a student’s experiential unit requirements.
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No. However, all students must be supervised by a currently licensed attorney who has been licensed for a minimum of 2 years. Paralegals and/or support staff cannot act as supervisors.
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No. Students must complete all hours during the semester in which they are enrolled in field placement units. Students must take a concurrent course component during the term in which they extern and thus, students cannot retroactively apply to receive credit for work performed in a semester or summer term in which they were not enrolled in the Field Placement Program.
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Yes, provided that the placement meets all academic and supervisory requirements of the Field Placement Program. Please refer to the Paid Placements page for more information.
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If you plan to do a field placement for no units or for pay, you are free to apply for a field placement independently from the Field Placement Department. If you want to receive academic credit for the field placement, then you must apply for units through the Field Placement Department. Enrollment may be prohibited for those students failing to follow application procedures or obtaining advance approval.