Michigan's externship program is designed to provide individual students with advanced training and research opportunities in areas of particular interest to them that go beyond what is traditionally offered in a classroom setting. Although skills training may be a component of an external studies program, the object of the program must be to further the student's legal education in the sense of deepening his or her understanding of the nature of law and the legal system; skills training alone is not an adequate justification for engaging in study outside the Law School.

It is expected that most programs will be undertaken in connection with government agencies or with charitable, educational, or other nonprofit organizations operated for the public benefit.

There must be a commitment to participate with the student in analyzing and discussing the intellectual lessons to be drawn from the student's experience. A formal program of seminars or like activities is not required, but such programs are especially desirable.

The attorneys who supervise the student must assume responsibility for continuous evaluation of the student's work, with particular attention paid to ways in which it can be improved.

The host organization must commit itself to provide an experience that can be integrated directly with the faculty-supervised research project undertaken by the student as a required part of the external studies.

The host organization must also agree not to use student externs primarily for undesirable make-work tasks, such as cite-checking or perfunctory research projects.

The host organization must provide a written statement describing with specificity the nature of the work to be undertaken by the student; the manner in which supervision and training will be provided to the student; the name(s) of the attorney supervisor(s); the resume(s) of the attorney supervisor(s); and the nature of the organization's educational commitment to the student.

These evaluations should detail the work the extern has done and the supervisor’s evaluation of the student's performance during the time period covered. The evaluations should be submitted via the e-mail button on the form.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure these evaluations are submitted.

The forms are best viewed and used in Internet Explorer.

Midterm Evaluation Form

Final Evaluation Form

DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMITTING THE EVALUATION FORMS

1. After filling out the evaluation form, click the Submit via Email button
2. A dialogue box will open asking if you want to use a Desktop Email Application or an Internet Email. The best way is to select the Internet Email option and click the OK button.  
3. A new dialogue box will open to save "finalevalform.xml" and to select a location in which to save the file.
4. Rename the file if desired and save it
5. After the file is saved, attach it to an email addressed to lawacademicaffairs@umich.edu.  
   

Through conversations with the attorney supervisor(s) and the student, the faculty member should determine:

• The nature and level of work done by the office.
  
• Assignments given to the student.
  
• Adequacy of supervision.
  
• The student's performance during the course of the externship.
  
• Whether that particular externship is of value sufficient to warrant repeating in subsequent terms.

The faculty member will document his/her impressions in a written report and submit it to the Office of Student Affairs to become part of the student's external studies file.

Host organizations should expect the site visit to occur at about the midway point of the semester.