Externships

Students also gain credit for legal work done under supervision with governmental and private employers. Students have unprecedented access to positions with the judiciary, in criminal justice settings, and with private practitioners in all areas of the law because of the Law School’s singular presence in the Central Valley.

More than 85 percent of students at SJCL take advantage of internship programs, including some who start as early as their first year. In addition to enhancing the students’ understanding of the mechanics of the actual practice of law, many of these internships subsequently evolve into full-time attorney positions after the students pass the Bar.

There is no institution comparable to SJCL within a 120 mile radius, meaning there is little competition from other law schools for internship positions in the Valley’s District Attorneys’ Offices, the Public Defenders’ Offices, and among the ranks of countless private practice attorneys in dozens of specialty areas.

“Working at the Fifth District Court of Appealallowed me to not only develop my research and writing skills, but also gave me significant practical experience.”

–Julie MacMichael

“Working in Judge Ishii’schambers has been an invaluable experience, made possible by SJCL’s ties to the legal community.”

–Charles Palmer and Angelica Ambrose

“My internship at the Fresno City Attorney’soffice gave me valuable experience and gave me insight to legal issues unique to public entities.”

–George Vasquez
Thank You to these organizations
for providing externships to its' students.