The Sandra Day OíConnor College of Law is preparing to launch its new legal externship program in Washington, D.C., which will start next spring.

The externship, which is the same as an internship, will give students the opportunity to work with lawyers, senators, judges and not-for-profit agencies in the nationís capital. ASU is partnering in the project with the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars.

Orde F. Kittrie, the director of the externship program in D.C. said it will accept applications from students at the College of Law and other American Bar Association-accredited law schools around the U.S.

The program will give students the opportunity to work in supervised externships set up through the Washington Center, while taking classes taught by ASU faculty.

"We'd like to establish a presence in D.C. to help students who were interested in working there to get their foot in the door," Kittrie said.

In addition to gaining experience in the D.C. legal market, students will receive course credits from the classes they take during the semester.

Participating students will spend four-and-a-half days each week working in a government or not-for-profit agency in the Washington area, while taking classes at night.

Students will pay the same tuition and fees in the program that they would pay for a typical semester on campus.

Paul Schiff Berman, dean of the law school, said this program was created so that law students who are interested in working in Washington will have the opportunity to work in the D.C. legal market. The program also gives ASU more of a presence in law-making and policy debate in the nation's capital.

"I think a lot of students want to get involved in government and public interest law," Berman said. "Doing so during an actual semester, as opposed to over the summer, will be far more advantageous to them establishing themselves in D.C."

Catherine O'Grady, associate dean for Clinical Affairs and the Professions said the externship program is a good opportunity for law students to apply what theyíve learned in class to a real-world working environment.

Students from around the country will work with senators, judges and lawyers while fully immersing themselves in the D.C. experience.

In addition to receiving experience in a professional externship, students will have the opportunity to build contacts in Washington, D.C. that may inevitably help them get jobs in the future, O'Grady said.

"For students interested in working anywhere in the U.S., they will have made contacts and have mentored with experienced professionals," O'Grady said. "That all translates into a very useful experience for the students."

Kittrie said the program will offer special programming and optional housing through the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, a not-for-profit organization in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Center will provide classrooms, dorm space and help with the logistics of the program.

"This is going to be a more systematic effort to help students identify opportunities," said Kittrie. "There are many more opportunities in D.C. and this will help put students in position to take advantage of those opportunities."

Reach the reporter at daniel.baxley@asu.edu.