Through a part-time externship, you’ll spend at least eight hours per week working under the supervision of an attorney at a local nonprofit, government agency, or court.

Students arrange their own placements, though as with full-time externships, we are happy to offer guidance on snagging the right placement. Past placements have included the ACLU of Michigan, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, the Washtenaw County Office of the Public Defender, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Executive Office of Immigration Review.

There is also a classroom component to the part-time externship program. The class meets nine times during the semester and discusses topics such as professionalism, supervision, and ethics. Please check the upcoming class schedule for the date and time of the seminar.

Email Us     Make an Appointment

Part-time Externship Program Details

Students, before you proceed, be sure to read the policies and regulations governing Michigan Law externships. 

Externship Program Policies

To read about prior students’ externship experiences, please visit the Public Service Network.​​​​

Public Service Network

  • Credits

    Students earn 3, 4, 5, or 6 credits for an approved externship program in a regular academic term depending on the number of hours worked at the placement. All students receive 1 credit for the mandatory seminar. 

    • Section 1 = 8 hours of work per week (2 credits plus 1 for the seminar)
    • Section 2 = 12 hours of work per week (3 credits plus 1 for the seminar)
    • Section 3 = 16 hours of work per week (4 credits plus 1 for the seminar)
    • Section 4 = 20 hours of work per week (5 credits plus 1 for the seminar)

    While typically, we only allow in-person work placements, all remote placements are allowed at this time.

    A student may not take LAW 990/991, Part-time Externship, and be enrolled in a seven-credit clinic during the same semester.

  • Registration Deadlines and Enrollment Process

    You do not bid for LAW 990/991, Part-time Externship, using the CBI system. Instead, if you are seeking to enroll in the class, you must submit:

    1. An application​ via MCompass.
    2. Once your application is confirmed you must complete the Supervising Attorney Agreement signed by the Site Supervisor and upload it to your application. It is due one week before classes start.

    You do not have to have a placement secured to apply; you may apply by listing proposed placements in the application and submit #2 above once the placement is finalized.

    Priority will be given to students who apply by May 1 for a fall semester part-time externship and December 1 for a winter semester part-time externship. If there are spots available after those dates, they will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Permission to enroll in this class is granted exclusively by Professor Sankaran during the weeks prior to the semester in which the externship will take place. You must have your placement finalized no later than one week prior to the first day of the semester.

    Externs should bid on a full slate of classes during class bidding. That will ensure that externs will never lose their full-time status, plus, if anything falls through for you or the site, you will have classes you selected, not just what is left. Please do NOT bid on clinics, as dropping clinics at the last minute is very challenging for those programs. We will work with you and the Registrar to get you enrolled in the proper externship classes a week or two before the semester begins.

    Application     Part-time Externship Supervising Attorney Agreement (pdf)

Meet the Team

Professor Amy Sankaran

Amy L. Sankaran

Director, Externship and Pro Bono Programs
Clinical Assistant Professor of Law
Megan Moore

Megan Moore

Administrative Assistant

Also of Interest

Information for Externship Host Organizations
International Externships
Full-time Externships