Externship Application and Registration Procedures

The application period for Fall 2013 placements has concluded.  The application period for Spring 2014 placements will open in October 2013.

1. Students apply for externship placements during the application period each semester for a placement the following semester. 

2. Students may apply to up to seven different externship sites per semester.  

3. Application to extern positions is made through Symplicity, the Law School's online recruiting system.     

Click here to learn more about selecting and interviewing for Externships.

Instructions for Symplicity:

  • Enter the user name and password emailed to you by Career Services (if you do not have a
    password, please contact Marie Fletcher at mfletcher@law.wne.edu or 413-782-1469).
  • From your Symplicity home page, click on the Jobs tab.
  • Under Position Type use the drop down and select WNEC 907 Externship. Click Search
     button. The search will give you all the extern positions available.
  • To view the job description for each externship site, click on the Job Title.
  • To apply, upload required application documents under the Documents tab. Return to the 
     job you are applying for and upload the required documents under How To Apply.

 In the interest of fairness, you should not contact externship sites directly.

After you Apply/Interviews/Offers/Acceptance of Offers:

  •  Materials received by the deadline date will be sent to the externship sites.
  •  Some sites will make offers based on resumes and application materials alone, and
     others will want to interview students first.
  •  In some cases, the extern sites will contact students directly to arrange interviews,
     and in other cases, the extern sites will ask the Externship Coordinator to arrange
     for interviews.
  •  Do not request a phone interview–interviews must be done in person. We will ask each site to
     make their selection(s) as soon as possible.
  •  Phone calls from extern sites must be returned within 24 hours.
  •  Students must respond to an offer for an externship as soon as possible; if a student receives
     an offer for an externship, the student must either accept or decline the offer within 5 days.
  •  Acceptance of an offer is a binding obligation and may not be rescinded.  Upon acceptance of
     an offer of an externship, candidates should immediately withdraw from previously scheduled
     interviews with all externship sites.

Do not apply to a site unless you are willing to accept an offer from that site.

YOU MUST CONTACT MARIE FLETCHER IN THE CLINIC OFFICE at mfletcher@law.wne.edu or at
(413) 782-1469 AS SOON AS YOU HAVE ACCEPTED A PLACEMENT. *

*Students violating these rules will be barred from registering for an externship.


Registration for the Externship Course 

Judicial or Public Interest Externship Seminar
If you are enrolling in the Judicial or Public Interest Externship Seminar, you will need to complete an Externship Seminar Enrollment Form (also availabe in Registrar's Office) which requires the signature of Clincal Programs Administrtor Marie Fletcher. In the event a lottery is necessary, you will be notified.

Faculty Supervised Externship
If you are enrolling for a Faculty Supervised Judicial, Public Interest, Private Sector or Student Secured Externship, you must complete a Faculty Supervised Externship Enrollment Form (also available in the Registrar’s Office). The form must be signed by the field supervisor at the externship site, your faculty supervisor, and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Completed form should be returned to the Registrar’s Office.

Marie Fletcher must be notified for both seminar and faculty supervised externships before you may register.

Withdrawal from an Externship Placement
The Judicial, Public Interest and Private Sector Externships have a Restricted Withdrawal.  Candidates should consider the acceptance of an offer a binding obligation. Because externship employers rely on commitments made by students, once a student affirmatively accepts an externship, the student is committed to participate in that externship.  Students may not withdraw except under extraordinary circumstances that must be approved by the Co-Directors of Experiential Learning.  A Restricted Withdrawal Form must be completed for review and consideration by the Co-Directors of Experiential Learning.

Rule 3:03 Certification
Some externships provide an opportunity for students to represent clients in court. Under certain circumstances, Rule 3:03 of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court allows students in their last year and their next-to-last year (or if a part-time student, if you have completed 56 credits) to represent certain clients in Massachusetts courts without compensation, under the supervision of a qualified member of the Massachusetts Bar, subject to other conditions set out more fully in Rule 3:03. 

The SJC automatically rescinds 3:03 certification at the end of each semester.  Therefore, students must submit a request for 3:03 certification each semester.  Requirements for 3:03 certification are available from the Registrar’s Office and the Clinical Programs Administrator. Students should contact Clinical Programs Administrator to request certification under SJC Rule 3:03 for their externship placement.

To request Massachusetts Rule 3:03 Certification complete a Request for 3:03 Certification Form (also available in the Registrar's Office).  If you need to be certified for student practice in a state other than Massachusetts complete a Request for Out of State Student Practice Form (also available in the Registrar's Office).