Clinics and Externships

Oregon Law's popular clinics and externships give students real-world experience with concepts learned in the classroom. Below, you can find out more about the clinics and externships offered each year.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mediation Clinic. After mediation training, students spend one morning each week working in a local small claims court, helping disputants to search for nonlitigation solutions to their problems.

Business Law

Office of the United States Trustee Externship Program. The Office of the United States Trustee is the division of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases. In this supervisory role, the U.S. trustee ensures that the bankruptcy cases proceed without delay, debtors comply with the disclosure requirements of the Bankruptcy Code, assets are distributed according to the Code's priority scheme, plans of reorganization proposed by consumer debtors comply with the Code's requirements for confirmation, and instances of fraud and abuse of the bankruptcy system are identified.

Portland In-House Counsel Externships. Externs are placed with in-house counsel at major Oregon businesses in the Portland metropolitan area. Students conduct a variety of legal work in the context of in-house counsel representation.

Small Business Clinic provides third-year law students with the opportunity to work with clients under the direct supervision of a practicing Oregon attorney. Clients of the Small Business Clinic can expect to receive top-quality legal services in an educational environment designed to provide students with the skills necessary to excel in the practice of law.

Civil Litigation

Civil Practice Clinic and Advanced Civil Practice Clinic. Students represent low-income clients through Lane County Legal Aid. Cases may result in a court appearance or contested case hearing, often involving social security, welfare, food stamp, public housing, or unemployment benefits.

Criminal Law

Criminal Defense Clinic. Students conduct client and witness interviews and investigations and help defend clients in a wide range of misdemeanor prosecutions in Oregon Circuit Court through Public Defender Services of Lane County.

Prosecution Clinic and Advanced Prosecution Clinic. Students are assigned to one of several local prosecutors' offices, where they prepare and try minor criminal cases under the supervision of an attorney. Students may assist senior prosecutors on felony cases. The classroom component consists of weekly two- to three-hour discussions of the roles of participants in the criminal justice system through the various stages of the criminal process.

Environmental Law

Environmental Law Externships. Externs are placed with governmental and non-profit agencies working on a variety of issues related to environmental regulations and compliance, energy policy, land use, and climate change.

Environmental Law Clinic and Advanced Environmental Law Clinic. Working with the Western Environmental Law Center, students are advancing theories never before litigated in any American court. The emphasis is on intellectually challenging and creative work. The Environmental Law Clinic is open to some second-year students. All other clinics are open to third-year students only. Every qualified student who applies has an equal chance to participate through a lottery during the spring of second year.

Family Law

Child Advocacy Externships. Students in this externship work during the summer for Oregon juvenile court judges and practitioners. Those who work with judges do research, prepare for and observe all types of hearings in juvenile delinquency and dependency cases, as well as working on a major law reform project under the judge's direction. Students placed with practitioners are involved in all areas of the attorneys' practices.

Domestic Violence Clinic and Advanced Domestic Violence Clinic. Students work with Lane County Domestic Violence Clinic attorneys and client advocates to represent victims of domestic violence and stalking in contested protective order hearings.

The Courts

Judicial Externships. Externs work for federal district, appellate, bankruptcy, and immigration courts, Oregon circuit and appellate courts, Oregon administrative boards, and others. The judges include students in all aspects of their work, including settlement meetings, trials, and discussions in chambers.

Propose your own externship

Propose your own externship. To propose a new externship placement, please consult these guidelines.

If you have questions about an externship or clinic, please contact Professor Joan Malmud Rocklin.