Overseas Externships

Overview
Students learn about the functioning of lawyers in an international legal environment through practical experience in international courts or tribunals, law offices, government entities, NGOs, and commercial entities outside of the United States.  Student's work experience is critically examined utilizing guided reflections directed by the course instructor. Students work under the direct supervision of a licensed lawyer in the country of the externship.

Qualified students may earn up to 12 units of credit during a single semester, earning 1 unit of academic credit for every 50 hours of fieldwork.

Locations
The Center for Global Law & Policy has currently approved international externships at the following sites:

• International Criminal Court
• International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia
• International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
• International Court of Justice
• Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
• Special Court for Sierra Leone, and
• Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Students interested in obtaining approval for an international externship at other locations should request pre-approval from the Director of the Center for Global Law & Policy. Other locations include: law offices, government entities, NGOs, and commercial entities.

Requirements

• Students must attend at least one orientation session prior to the start of the externship. Students are required to maintain time records, reviewed and certified by the externship supervisor, reflecting the student's time spent in the placement. All units are granted as CR/NC, and students are evaluated by their externship sponsors.

• Pre-requisite course is Pleading and Civil Procedure (114). Students must have received a grade of "C" or better in Pleading and Civil Procedure, and must submit a positive written evaluation from their LARAW instructor.

• Students must receive approval from an advisor at CGLP and turn in the forms below to the Law Student Services Office with the Add/Drop form:

          1) Application
          2) Memorandum of Understanding

Additional Requirements for International Courts
Students interested in obtaining academic credit for international judicial externships must apply to and be accepted by the relevant international court or tribunal. Please refer to the following for rules regarding eligibility, application procedures and deadlines.

In addition to acceptance by the relevant international court or tribunal, the Center for Global Law & Policy determines whether a student is suited for placement in a particular internship. Factors such as a student academic record, record of reliability and accountability, and competence to fulfill the obligations of the judicial placement are considered in making a determination.

To receive academic credit for the placement, the student must be supervised by an attorney or judge at the international court or tribunal. The student is required to maintain a time sheet, that must be approved in writing by the supervisor.

Students will be required to attend one or more orientation programs at Santa Clara prior to commencing the externship. During the course of the externship students will also be required to engage in a seminar, regularly scheduled tutorials, or other means of guided reflection.

More Information

For further information, please contact:

Vinita Bali
Managing Director
Center for Global Law & Policy
Bannan 301M
Tel: 408-554-4478
Fax: 408-554-5047
E-mail: vbali@scu.edu