Qualifying Placements

The Colorado Law Externship Program is offered year-round (Fall, Spring and Summer semesters). Students may extern at governmental and听non-profit organizations and agencies.听Students may work in all three branches of the government, including state and federal judicial chambers, executive agencies, and legislative听offices. As per the Law School Rules,听Colorado Law students may not extern听at private, for-profit law firms or corporations. Due to a recent update to the Law School Rules, starting in Summer of 2023 students may now be paid and receive academic credit at approved externships.听

Remote Externships

Due to the COVID-19 situation, students can now听complete remote externships if their agencies will not allow them to work in the office, or if the student is not comfortable听attending in person. Please speak to the听Program Director if you have any questions.Externship sponsors are not limited to agencies and organizations that have sponsored externs in the past. Students must be supervised by a licensed attorney at their agency.听

Law School Credits

Students may receive 2, 3 or 4 credits for an externship in a semester, unless special approval has been granted for a single semester 7-credit externship in Colorado or a single semester 10-credit externship at a national or international placement. 50 hours of work听time is required for each externship credit. 听Students interested in seeking special approval for a 7 or 10 credit externship should consult with the Director of Experiential Learning about additional program requirements. 听Students can only participate in ONE externship per semester (i.e., a student cannot complete a 2-credit externship at the Colorado Supreme Court and a 2-credit externship at the AG's Office in the same semester).

Application Deadlines

Externship Program Description Agreement documents must be received听no later than the deadlines listed below. We encourage students to being process of completing听externship paperwork EARLY as background checks and other administrative processes can take a while.

  • The听deadline to submit your FALL 2024 externship application听is Tuesday, August 13th听at 11:59 p.m. MST.
    • 鈥媁e cannot accept late applications!
    • The Fall Externship Session will run from Monday, August 26th through Friday, December 6th.
  • The听deadline to submit your SPRING 2025 externship application听is Wednesday, January 8th听at 11:59 p.m. MST.
    • 鈥媁e cannot accept late applications!
    • The Spring Externship Session will run from Monday, January 13th through Friday, April 25th.
  • The听deadline to submit your SUMMER 2025 externship application听is Tuesday, May 27th听at 11:59 p.m. MST.
    • 鈥媁e cannot accept late applications!
    • The Summer Externship Session will run from Monday, June 2nd through Friday, August 8th.听

Colorado's听Student Practice Act:

Law students who have completed at least two years of law school may appear in court pursuant to听.听A student must file a听听that they have听completed two years of law school and is of good moral character.听To file this certification, print the form, complete the first two sections, and email the form to听lawreg@colorado.edu. The Registrar will then听complete and submit the form.听

The student must also provide the name of the supervising attorney and an anticipated graduation date. Work must be performed for an attorney in the public sector, i.e., the Public Defender's Office or District Attorney's Office; or on behalf of a non profit legal services organization where poor or legally underserved persons receives legal advice.

Please note: In addition to the Law School Rules, Externships are regulated by ABA Standard 304.听