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.

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

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 evaluation 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.

Final Evaluation Form

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 should 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.