Information for Students

Chicago-Kent offers three avenues for students to pursue externship opportunities in the areas of government, public interest, private, and for-profit firms and corporations. Examples of externships include working for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office; public defender offices; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and numerous major law firms and nonprofits. All externships must be approved. The three types of externships include:

Judicial Externships acquaint you with the day-to-day operation of the courts as you work with trial and appellate court judges and their law clerks to research and write legal memoranda and draft opinions.

Legal Externships allow you to work in civil or criminal practice in a specialized area of your choice with supervising attorneys in federal, state, and local government agencies; private law firms of all sizes; corporate legal departments; or public interest organizations." 

Judicial Externship Program

Judicial Externship Program (JEP) is a four credit hour, pass/low pass/fail program open to students who have completed at least their first full year of law school and want to do legal research and writing for a federal appellate, district or magistrate judge, or designated Illinois appellate or circuit court judges.

JEP enables a student to become involved in particular legal problems through research and writing, and to contribute to the resolution of those problems by participating in drafting memoranda and opinions. 

Depending upon the judge, an extern may also have the opportunity to observe the judge’s day-to-day routine and discuss with him/her the issues and problems that judges confront. Take advantage of this prestigious learning opportunity while enhancing your marketability in the legal world.

Application Process:  The deadline for Spring 2025 Judicial Externship applications has passed but you can apply for a judicial externship in the summer.  We will post opportunities below or you can find one on your own through 12Twenty (see below).   If you do obtain an externship through an outside source, please email Professor Decatorsmith and Michael Oakes as well as fill out this form

Note:  Before you apply, be certain you are able to commit 16 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters, or 32 hours/week in the summer, as well as attend the in person weekly classroom component and other requirements of the course during the semester.  If you have any questions about the program, please contact Professor Jon Decatorsmith (jdecator@kentlaw.iit.edu).

Find your own judicial externship:  Students can find their own externship through posts made by individual chambers on the Career Services Management System 12twenty* or get placed with judges in various divisions via the Cook County application. In the Summer, students can also apply to judges via the Just the Beginning - A Pipeline Organization, and applications typically close by the end of January each year.   We will also post any opportunities for externships below.  

Cover Letter and Resume Guidance  

Below are short guides on to help you prepare your cover letter and resume:

Cover Letter Guide

Writing Sample Guide

Judicial Externship Opportunities

Please check back here over the summer for Judicial Externship opportunities in the fall.  

If you receive a Judicial Externship, please register your opportunity here so you receive law school credit. 

Legal Externship Programs

Access2Practice (A2P) Legal Externship is a 4-credit-hour Pass/Fail class which enables Kent 2Ls and 3Ls to gain supervision and mentoring in a wide variety of legal areas – both civil and criminal.  Externs must work a minimum of 16 hours per week during the Fall/Spring semesters and 32 hours per week in the Summer semester, as well as attend the in person weekly classroom component, among other academic requirements associated with the course. 

The program does not assign students to particular practice placements. Instead a student must first independently obtain an externship placement before applying to participate in and register for an Access2Practice Legal Externship. Each placement is independent and external to the law school and will have its own independent selection and screening process. 

Application Process:  Externships can be found via Chicago-Kent’s extensive legal network.  For information on how to do this, follow our document on How to Apply for a Legal Externship Placement. Students can find their own externships through 12twenty*, the Career Services Management System. Newly posted externships will also be featured below and in The Record.  

Once a student has secured an externship, he or she must apply to the externship program by (1) informing Professor Decatorsmith via email (jdecator@kentlaw.iit.edu) and (2) filling out this Form.  This information allows us to keep track of student placements as well as give us the information needed to reach out to firms and confirm student placement, as well as discuss our expectations with regard to the student's supervision.  

Note:  Before you apply, be certain you are able to commit 16 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters, or 32 hours/week in the summer, as well as attend the in person weekly classroom component and other requirements of the course during the semester.  If you have any questions about the program, please contact Professor Jon Decatorsmith (jdecator@kentlaw.iit.edu). 

LEGAL EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Please see below and continue to check back for new Fall opportunities.  

If you receive a Legal Externship, please register your opportunity here so you receive law school credit.  

LIFE SPAN LEGAL EXTERNSHIPS/CLERKSHIPS
Life Span (https://life-span.org) is seeking enthusiastic law student interns to assist our team of attorneys to provide legal services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault – including Orders of Protection, Civil No Contact Orders, Divorce/Dissolution of Marriage, Parentage & Allocation of Parental Responsibilities and more!

Clerks and/or externs can be based out of either our Chicago or Des Plaines offices – 1L, 2L & 3L law students all eligible to apply. Part time accepted and encouraged!

While these are unpaid positions, Life Span accepts applications from law students:

• who have funding;
• who are seeking academic credit or participating in an externship through their law school; and
• who do not have funding. 

EXTERN/CLERK DUTIES

Clerks will gain invaluable hands-on legal experience by working on complex and diverse cases and projects with our Family Law attorneys. Clerks will participate in client intake, negotiations and client advising meetings, draft pleadings, and appear in Court with their 711 law student license. Clerks will also have the opportunity to conduct legal research and analysis on changes in the law and novel legal questions related to client representation.

ABOUT LIFE SPAN

Life Span empowers survivors of domestic and sexual violence to demand safety as a human right through client-centered services and leads social change through accountability, community engagement and systemic advocacy. Life Span values diversity-in strengths, backgrounds and lived experiences. It is essential that our staff and leadership reflect the communities that we serve. We are committed to creating an anti-oppression framework and seek candidates who share this commitment.

Our agency has two sites, and services are available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Polish and Arabic.  All services are free of charge.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume and cover letter, including the weekly number of hours you are seeking, via email attention: Victoria Bell, Senior Staff Attorney, to hiring@life-span.org. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all clerk positions are filled, through Friday, August 1, 2025, at 5:00p.m.

Please, no phone calls!