Qualifying Placements
The Colorado Law Externship Program is offered year-round (Fall, Spring and Summer semesters). Students may extern at governmental and non-profit organizations and agencies. Students may work in all three branches of the government, including state and federal judicial chambers, executive agencies, and legislative offices. As per the Law School Rules, Colorado Law students may not extern at private, for-profit law firms or corporations. Due to a recent update to the Law School Rules, starting in Summer of 2023 students may now be paid and receive academic credit at approved externships.
Remote Externships
Due to the COVID-19 situation, students can now complete remote externships if their agencies will not allow them to work in the office, or if the student is not comfortable attending in person. Please speak to the Program Director if you have any questions. Externship sponsors are not limited to agencies and organizations that have sponsored externs in the past. Students must be supervised by a licensed attorney at their agency.
Law School Credits
Students may receive 2, 3 or 4 credits for an externship in a semester, unless special approval has been granted for a single semester 7-credit externship in Colorado or a single semester 10-credit externship at a national or international placement. 50 hours of work time is required for each externship credit. Students interested in seeking special approval for a 7 or 10 credit externship should consult with the Director of Experiential Learning about additional program requirements. Students can only participate in ONE externship per semester (i.e., a student cannot complete a 2-credit externship at the Colorado Supreme Court and a 2-credit externship at the AG's Office in the same semester).
Application Deadlines
Externship Program Description Agreement documents must be received no later than the deadlines listed below. We encourage students to being process of completing externship paperwork EARLY as background checks and other administrative processes can take a while.
- The deadline to submit your SUMMER 2023 externship application is Tuesday, May 30th at 11:59 p.m. MST.
- We cannot accept late applications!
- The Summer Externship Session will run from Monday, June 5th through Friday, August 11th.
- The deadline to submit your FALL 2023 externship application is Tuesday, August 15th at 11:59 p.m. MST.
- We cannot accept late applications!
- The Fall Externship Session will run from Monday, August 28th through Friday, December 8th.
Colorado's Student Practice Act:
Law students who have completed at least two years of law school may appear in court pursuant to Colorado Rule of Civil Procedure 205.7. A student must file a certification that they have completed two years of law school and is of good moral character. To file this certification, print the form, complete the first two sections, and email the form to lawreg@colorado.edu. The Registrar will then complete and submit the form.
The student must also provide the name of the supervising attorney and an anticipated graduation date. Work must be performed for an attorney in the public sector, i.e., the Public Defender's Office or District Attorney's Office; or on behalf of a non profit legal services organization where poor or legally underserved persons receives legal advice.
Please note: In addition to the Law School Rules, Externships are regulated by ABA Standard 304.