Externship I and II Syllabus
Fall 2007
Program Director
Associate Dean Kelly Lynn Anders
Director of the Externship Program
Office: Room 204 (Externship Office)
Phone: (785) 670-1670
Fax: (785) 670-1024
E-mail: kelly.anders [at] washburn.edu
Description
Participation in the Washburn Law Externship Program provides students with an invaluable opportunity to enhance their legal education through off-campus placements, where they learn through hands-on experience. As an extern, you are no longer just in your student role but also assume the role of a professional in training. You will handle real issues and work on real assignments - impacting the lives of the people involved. In that capacity, you must be especially mindful of conducting yourself as a professional, including being aware of professional responsibility and confidentiality issues. Use this opportunity as a positive starting point for your legal career.
Minimum Course Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of the work hours required by the placement; and
- Satisfactory completion of all course requirements set forth below.
Textbook
J. P. Ogilvy et al., Learning from Practice: A Professional Development Text for Legal Externs (West, 2007).
Class Meetings and Attendance
Classes will be held on Friday, September 7, and Friday, September 14, from 3:30 to 5:20 p.m. in room 120. Attendance is mandatory for students who have not completed the course component.
Reading Assignments
All reading assignments will be available on the Externship TWEN Page. Please sign on to TWEN by no later than Friday, September 7.
Required Forms
Please complete and sign the Student Acknowledgement and Release (92 KB PDF; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) and Externship Plan and Enrollment Request (30 KB PDF; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) forms and turn them in to Dean Anders before you begin your placement.
Contact Information
At all times during your externship, you must provide Dean Anders with current contact information (address, phone, and email).
Externship Schedule
By the end of the second week of your placement, please advise Dean Anders of the days and hours of your Externship.
Journals: Guided Reflections
In order for you to reflect on your externship experience and optimize the benefit derived from it, you are required to submit responses to "Guided Reflection" topics (e.g., identifying your goals for the externship, reflecting on your training, discussing ethical concerns that may arisen, etc.). Guided Reflection topics will be posted on TWEN each Friday for six consecutive weeks and due the Friday of the following week by 5:00 p.m. Submissions must be thoughtful, thorough, and well written to satisfy the Guided Reflection requirement. Dean Anders will review all the submissions and provide feedback, responses, and guidance the week following each submission. Occasionally, she may ask to share excerpts with the rest of the class, while keeping your name confidential. In submitting your Guided Reflections, be very cautious not to include any privileged or confidential information. Do not share with others information that may have been disclosed by other externs in your class that may be privileged or confidential.
Time Sheets
Students are required to submit detailed time sheets (39 KB PDF; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) on a weekly basis, documenting the hours worked and the nature of the work. Please fax them to Dean Anders' attention at (785) 670-1024 each week by no later than Friday at 5:00 p.m.
Paper Requirement
At the end of your placement, please submit an 8-10 page commentary summarizing the various facets of your entire externship experience. Additional instructions will be available on TWEN. This paper must be submitted to Dean Anders by no later than Friday, November 30.
Confidentiality
In your placement, you will have access to confidential and privileged information and materials. You are expected to hold in strictest confidence all information and materials received in the course of the externship placement that are not matters of public record and to adhere fully to the standards of professional conduct set forth in the Code of Professional Responsibility of the American Bar Association and the Rules of Professional Conduct of the state in which your Externship placement is located. You must also familiarize yourself with the specific rules and requirements of your placement in order to prevent any potential disclosure of such information.
Unlawful Practice of Law
In your placement, you may have the opportunity for contact with clients or potential clients, the court, other attorneys, etc. — in person, on the telephone, or via electronic or postal mail. You should be extremely cautious in your communications so that they do not overstep the scope of work that you are authorized to perform. When in doubt, check with your supervisor.
Professionalism: Office Attire & Etiquette
Keep in mind that your placement is in a professional setting with its own written and unwritten standards/rules concerning attire (e.g., suit v. business casual), how the office functions (e.g., who reports to whom and how things get done), and etiquette (e.g., formal v. informal relationships/interaction). Please contact Dean Anders if you would like to discuss this further.
Deadline for All Submissions
Final time sheets, work product, the Certificate of Completion (31 KB PDF; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader), and any other outstanding paperwork must be submitted to the Externship Office by no later than Friday, November 30.
Record Retention
It is your responsibility to keep a hard copy of every electronic or hard copy submission, form, time sheet, etc., in connection with your externship.
Course Grade
You must satisfactorily and timely complete the requirements set forth above to receive a grade of "Credit." Failure to do so will result in a "No Credit" grade for the externship.
Accommodations
Washburn University School of Law strives to assure equal access and full participation by persons with disabilities. If you require services because of a disability, you may notify Lynette Petty, Assistant Dean, in the Law Clinic, Room 160, or call her at (785) 670-1191. This voluntary self-identification allows the University to prepare any necessary and appropriate support services to facilitate your learning.
