Clinical Law Program & Collaborative Externships
The Clinical Law Program
What's a law school clinic?
In a law school clinic, students receive law-school credit while they represent
real clients or mediate real cases. They learn relevant lawyering skills through
close supervision by an experienced lawyer/faculty member. Clinics offer students an
opportunity to serve the community and reflect on their experience as they become a
lawyer.
Clinics at the UWLS
The clinical law program is central to the law school's public service and access
to justice efforts. Each year, a variety of clinics offer diverse practice
opportunities to law students. Nearly 60% of each JD class enrolls in a clinic. As
the world and the legal profession change, law schools must prepare the next
generation to be our advocates and leaders. The UW School of law is committed to
providing an innovative, student-focused learning environment that prepares our
students to become highly skilled lawyers in a globally competitive world. Our UW
students gain a strong foundation in legal theory, the skills necessary for success
in the changing legal profession, and an awareness of their ethical and public
service responsibilities.
Collaborative Externships
What's a Collaborative Externship?
The UW law school offers a wide range of externships, or "field placements."
In externships students receive law school credit for performing legal work in a
non-profit or government agency. Students are directly supervised by an experienced
lawyer in the work setting. In addition, a faculty supervisor guides the students in
reflecting on the externship experience.
In addition, we offer specially designed collaborative externships. The law
school and one or more community partners together design a special 15-credit
immersion externship experience. The collaborative externship is offered each year
during the same quarter. A cohort of students participates in special educational
activities.
Collaborative Externships at the UWLS
The law school currently offers two collaborative externships, the
Olympia Quarter Fellows and the
Laurel Rubin Externship Advocacy Project.
Clinics in the News
I use the lessons you taught me every day. 
- Chuck Williams, Civil Clinic Alum, ‘94
Your gift to the Clinical Law Program or a specific Clinic will help maintain this core educational and public-spirited program at the UW School of Law. Give online today >>