Why wait to learn how to practice law until after graduation when you can start while still in law school? McGeorge's Externships let you earn law school credit while performing supervised legal work as an extern at government agencies, courts or non-profit entities, and limited for-profit entities where you will have the opportunity:

  • Apply legal theory and academic principles to solve legal problems and controversies
  • Develop legal research, writing, negotiation and interviewing skills
  • Experience how ethical standards inform the practice of law
  • Better understand the lawyer's role in our legal system
  • Explore career interests in a variety of legal settings and build a professional network

Representative Externship Sites

We are constantly updating our available externship placement sites throughout the year. The full directory of 100+ approved sites is available to all current students on the McGeorge Externships LibGuide, and a short representative list can be found below:

  • Association of California Water Agencies
  • Beale Air Force Base
  • Cal/HR
  • California Attorney General
  • California Medical Association
  • California Supreme Court
  • City & County Offices (Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado, + more)
  • Delta Stewardship Council
  • Department of Fair Employment & Housing
  • Department of Fish & Wildlife
  • District Attorney’s & Public Defender’s Offices (CA / NV)
  • Office of the Federal Defender
  • Sacramento Superior Court
  • Victims of Crime Resource Center

Whatever practice area(s) interests you, we have an externship site to help you gain the experience and knowledge needed to excel in the legal profession.

Is It the Same as an Internship?

Externships are nearly synonymous with internships, but they are not the same thing. Externs perform similar, if not identical, work as their intern counterparts. The difference is that externs will receive academic credit for an externship, whereas an internship is typically done outside the scope of any academic curriculum. If you have an internship already lined up for the semester, you may be eligible to convert it to an externship – please contact the Externships Office to discuss your particular internship and if it meets the academic criteria to become an externship.

Private law firms do not meet externship requirements.

Current Students

For our up-to-date information, including detailed listings and descriptions of all the externship sites, and to learn about our Externship Programs visit us on our McGeorge Externships libguide.

Externship Sites/Supervising Attorneys

Students in the McGeorge Externships Program pursue unique opportunities to gain practical experience under attorney supervision in externships. Externships may include government agencies, courts, nonprofit entities, and very limited private externships. All externship proposals require advance approval of the Externships Director and the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning. Please consult the criteria for externship site approval (pdf); private law firms are not currently being approved.

If you are interested in becoming an externship site, please contact us at the email address or phone number below.

Contact Us

Externships
Email | 916.739.7188

Colleen Truden, Director