Students
Qualifying Placements
The Colorado Law Externship Program is offered year-round (Fall, Spring and Summer semesters). Students may extern at governmental andnon-profit organizations and agencies.Students may work in all three branches of the government, including state and federal judicial chambers, executive agencies, and legislativeoffices. As per the Law School Rules,Colorado Law students may not externat private, for-profit law firms or corporations. Due to a recent update to the Law School Rules, starting in Summer of 2023 students may now be paid and receive academic credit at approved externships.
Remote Externships
Due to the COVID-19 situation, students can nowcomplete remote externships if their agencies will not allow them to work in the office, or if the student is not comfortableattending in person. Please speak to theProgram Director if you have any questions.Externship sponsors are not limited to agencies and organizations that have sponsored externs in the past. Students must be supervised by a licensed attorney at their agency.
Law School Credits
Students may receive 2, 3 or 4 credits for an externship in a semester, unless special approval has been granted for a single semester 7-credit externship in Colorado or a single semester 10-credit externship at a national or international placement. 50 hours of worktime is required for each externship credit. Students interested in seeking special approval for a 7 or 10 credit externship should consult with the Director of Experiential Learning about additional program requirements. Students can only participate in ONE externship per semester (i.e., a student cannot complete a 2-credit externship at the Colorado Supreme Court and a 2-credit externship at the AG's Office in the same semester).
Application Deadlines
Externship Program Description Agreement documents must be receivedno later than the deadlines listed below. We encourage students to being process of completingexternship paperwork EARLY as background checks and other administrative processes can take a while.
- Thedeadline to submit your SUMMER 2026 externship applicationis Wednesday, May 20that 11:59 p.m. MST.
- We cannot accept late applications!
- The Summer Externship Session will run from Monday, May 26th through Friday, July 31st.
- Thedeadline to submit your FALL 2026 externship applicationis Tuesday, August 11that 11:59 p.m. MST.
- We cannot accept late applications!
- The Fall Externship Session will run from Monday, August 24th through Friday, December 4th.
- Thedeadline to submit your SPRING 2026 externship applicationis Tuesday, January 6that 11:59 p.m. MST.
- We cannot accept late applications!
- The Spring Externship Session will run from Monday, January 12th through Friday, April 24th.
Colorado'sStudent Practice Act:
Law students who have completed at least two years of law school may appear in court pursuant to.A student must file athat they havecompleted two years of law school and is of good moral character.To file this certification, print the form, complete the first two sections, and email the form tolawreg@colorado.edu. The Registrar will thencomplete and submit the form.
The student must also provide the name of the supervising attorney and an anticipated graduation date. Work must be performed for an attorney in the public sector, i.e., the Public Defender's Office or District Attorney's Office; or on behalf of a non profit legal services organization where poor or legally underserved persons receives legal advice.
Please note: In addition to the Law School Rules, Externships are regulated by ABA Standard 304.
Academic Quick Links
ALL FALL 2026 EXTERNSHIP STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TOATTEND AMANDATORY EXTERNSHIP ORIENTATION SESSION
- Wednesday, August 26,2026
- Noon - 12:50 P.M. MST
- ZOOM Link PROVIDED VIA EMAIL
Fall 2026 Externship Key Dates
- Midsemester reflection is due WEDNESDAY, October 14th at 11:59pm MST
- End of semester paperwork is due FRIDAY, December 4th at 11:59pm MST
Fall 2026 Externship Classes
Externship studentsarerequiredto attend externship classes that will be scheduled over the course of the semester in the subject area that is closest to the area of law where the student will be placed during the semester. Students DO NOT have to register for the externship classroom component through the Law Registrar's Office. The Program Director will send all students enrolled in an externship additionalinformation about the externship class during the first week of classes each semester.
While the General Topics class is suitable for students completing anexternship focusing on any area of the law, we strongly recommend that students enroll in thesubject-specific class for the practice area of their externship.
Students completing anexternship in the same practice area as a previous externship (i.e., two externships with the Federal Government) may be eligible to take the Advanced Topics class.The dates, timesand instructors are as follows:
Advanced Externship (repeat externs with same practice area) ()
- Wednesday, September 9, Noon to 12:50 p.m. – Room 301
- Wednesday, November 18, Noon to 12:50 p.m. – Room 301
General Topics(cross-cutting professionalism topics) ()
- Wednesday, September 2, Noon to 12:50 p.m. – Room 301
- Wednesday, September 23, Noon to 12:50 p.m. – Room 301
- Wednesday, October 7, Noon to 12:50 p.m. – Room 301
- Wednesday, October 21, Noon to 12:50 p.m. –Room 301
- Wednesday, November 11, Noon to 12:50 p.m. – Room 301
- Wednesday, December 2, Noon to 12:50 p.m. –Room 301
Federal Government ()
- Wednesday, September 2, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Remote
- Wednesday, September 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Remote
- Wednesday, October 7, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Remote
- Wednesday, October 28, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Remote
- Wednesday, November 18, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Remote
Judicial ()
- Wednesday, September 9, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.– Room 206
- Wednesday, September 30, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.– Room 206
- Wednesday,October 14, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.–Room 206
- Wednesday, October 28, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.–Room 206
- Wednesday, November 18, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.–Room 206
Non-Governmental/Non-Profits ()
- Tuesday, September 8, 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. – Room 411
- Tuesday, September 29, 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. –Virtual
- Tuesday, October 13, 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. –Virtual
- Tuesday, October 27, 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. –Virtual
- Tuesday, November 10, 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. –Virtual
Prosecution()
- Tuesday, September 1, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.–Room 330
- Tuesday, September 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.–Room 330
- Tuesday, October 6, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.–Room 330
- Tuesday, October 20, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. –Room 330
- Tuesday, November 3, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.– Room 330
Public Defender ()
- Wednesday,September 2, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.–Room 421
- Wednesday, September 16, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. –Room 421
- Wednesday, October 7, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. –Room 421
- Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. –Room 421
- Wednesday, November 11, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.– Room 421
State/Local Government()
- Wednesday, September 9, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Room 411
- Wednesday, September 30, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Room 411
- Wednesday, October 14, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Room 411
- Wednesday, November 4, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Room 411
- Wednesday, December 2, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Room 411

