Externships afford great opportunities to gain real-world experience and academic credit in a practice setting of your choice. Students can arrange externships during the summer or over a full academic semester. Students who wish to pursue an externship for course credit must enlist a faculty supervisor and be accepted into an approved placement. Susan Kay, Vanderbilt's Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, maintains a list of pre-approved externship placements in Nashville, and the International Legal Studies Program places students in internships with government and non-governmental organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Placements in corporate legal offices or with the pro bono departments of law firms may be approved if they are supervised by an attorney.
Vanderbilt also offers summer stipends and fellowships to fund volunteer experience in a non-profit or government agency, including courts. The Legal Aid Society Public Interest Stipends support summer projects working with underserved communities. Summer Stipends are also available to students who work in unpaid positions in the U.S. or abroad. Fellowships for students serving with organizations dedicated to land conservation (the Environmental Fellowship) and for government or non-profit organizations involved in regulatory matters (the Law & Government stipend).
