October 16, 2009
 |
Boston University School of Law Expands Externship Opportunities:
Launches Semester-in-Practice Program
Boston University School of Law continued its recent expansion of clinical and externship opportunities by launching its new Semester-in-Practice Program. The Program allows select law students to spend a semester working full-time, away from the law school, for high-profile legal organizations. Currently, the Program offers three options to students: a Human Rights Externship in Geneva, Switzerland; a Death Penalty Litigation Externship with the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia; and a Federal Government Externship in Washington D.C. Students may also submit their own proposal for a full-time externship outside of Boston that is unique and would assist non-profit, public interest or government organizations.
Students in the Program will also work remotely with a BU Law faculty sponsor to develop a research paper related to their externship work. These faculty mentors will help the students critically reflect on their experiences and the development of their lawyering skills. Through this one-on-one relationship, students will retain a strong connection with the law school during their time away.
“This program is a fantastic opportunity for students to not only develop and hone practical lawyering skills, but to make connections in their chosen field,” said Professor Lois Knight, director of the Clinical and Trial Advocacy Programs. “Some valuable experiences are simply not available in Boston, and the Semester-in-Practice Program will give students the chance to make the most of their legal education, be it in Geneva, Washington, Atlanta, or throughout the world.”
 |
| Congressman Barney Frank and Fall '09 SiP participant Ian Hunter |
The Program’s first participant, Ian Hunter (’10), will spend the Fall 2009 Semester working in the U.S. Senate for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Hunter spent the summer as an aide for Senator Kennedy, working on foreign policy, immigration and veterans’ affairs issues. “Working for Senator Kennedy, I realized that there is a lot to learn about the law and the legislative process that cannot be simulated in a classroom,” said Hunter. “This Program gives me the opportunity to gain the skills, experience and contacts that will allow me to hit the ground running on Capitol Hill after graduation.”
The Semester-in-Practice Program builds upon BU Law’s already strong externship offerings in and around Boston. Students currently work for federal judges, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts Legislature and the area’s vibrant health law sector.
Boston University School of Law, a top tier law school ranked first in the nation for teaching quality, has prepared leaders in law for 137 years. Since its founding in 1872, the School has welcomed qualified men and women from across the country and abroad, without regard to background or belief.
>>Learn more about BU Law’s Semester-in-Practice Program
Reported by Adrienne Smith
Print |