In the Externship Program, students work in a legal or judicial office for a semester or summer, giving them a chance to apply the knowledge they have gained in the classroom and to polish their skills in a day-to-day professional environment. Externs earn academic credit for weekly on-site field experience with a legal employer such as a federal or state judge, a legal aid clinic, a prosecutor or public defender, a non-profit organization, or a government agency.  Students who take advantage of the Externship Program graduate with more than a law degree on their resume — they also possess relevant legal work experience that will serve them well in their search for their first professional position. They may also find that exposure to different practice settings through externships can be a critical tool in selecting a career path.

During the academic year, students can choose from a wide variety of externship opportunities located in southwest Florida. Students enrolled in summer externships have been placed in positions with courts, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations across the country.

“I externed for a U.S. District bankruptcy judge after my first year of law school. It was rewarding to apply the skills and knowledge that I had worked to acquire during the preceding school year. The judge took a real interest in each extern and made an uncommon effort to see that we understood the pending cases and the strategies used by attorneys in his courtroom. The externship was a crucial a part of my law-school education”

~Jared Haynie, Class of 2009

"Ave Maria's Externship Program is absolutely excellent! Participating as an extern for a federal judge provided me with an exceptional opportunity to advance my legal skills while gaining great practical experience. In short, conducting an externship has proven to be invaluable to my legal career as I have subsequently secured a full-time position with a firm practicing my primary interest of law.”

~Albert Abbou, Class of 2008