Externships

Experiences That Lead to Excellence

You don’t become an exceptional lawyer simply by reading and studying. You become one by doing—and learning from professionals who were once law students themselves. One way you’ll accomplish this as a Creighton University School of Law student is through externships.

Contact Us
Carol Knoepfler, JD
Director of Experiential Learning
402.280.3366
CarolKnoepfler@creighton.edu

Opportunities to Build Your Future

There are numerous reasons to participate in an externship. It will give you the opportunity to:

Explore future career options
Experience what lawyering is like in the workplace
Apply what you’re learning in law school to the real world
Learn from practitioners who are doing what you want to do
Assess if a particular career or workplace is ideal for you
Serve others—especially those with the greatest need—through the legal system
Connect with professionals who may provide a path to your future career

Eligibility Requirements

Students may enroll in an approved externship after successfully completing their first year (1L) courses. In order for an externship to be approved, the student must be working for a nonprofit organization or a government or judicial office. This is a unique aspect of Creighton University School of Law externships and is done in alignment with our Jesuit, Catholic values; we believe that serving others is vital to the externship experience.

Externship Credit

Students will earn four credits for an eligible externship: one graded classroom credit and three pass/fail non-classroom credits. Students may participate in a second externship for three non-classroom credits.

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Where Our Students Find Externships

Creighton University School of Law students have completed externships in a wide range of organizations, including the offices of county and city attorneys, public defenders, judges, nonprofit hospitals, universities and other nonprofits. These organizations may be local, around the country or even across the world.

Often the school is informed of externship opportunities from organizations we have an established connection with, and we notify students of these externships. Other times, students notify the school of organizations they’ve connected with for externship opportunities. If you are unsure how to find the right externship for you, we can help you research.

Students have landed externships in areas like:

Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Phoenix
Colorado Public Defender’s Office, Denver
Marshall Center for Strategic Studies, Garmisch, Germany
United States Attorney’s Office, Council Bluffs, Iowa
CHI Health Operations Counsel, Regulatory Compliance & Privacy Office, Omaha
Creighton University Athletic Compliance Department, Omaha
Douglas County Juvenile Court, Omaha
Immigration Customs Enforcement, Omaha
Justice For Our Neighbors immigration legal services, Omaha
Methodist Health System, Omaha
Nebraska Innocence Project, Omaha
Nebraska State Legislature, Lincoln, Nebraska
STRATCOM, Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue, Nebraska
Near East South Asia (NESA) Center, University of National Defense, Washington, D.C.
United States District Court, District of Nevada, Las Vegas

For assistance or other questions, please contact our Director of Experiential Learning, Carol Knoepfler, JD, at 402.280.3366 or via email.

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Email the Director

Pro Bono Program

To earn Pro Bono Distinction from the School of Law, law students who choose to participate in the voluntary pro bono program must complete 50 hours of qualifying service prior to graduation, including at least 35 hours of pro bono service.

The School of Law added a poverty law survey course and a civil law poverty externship in the spring of 2017. The two-credit, upper-level elective course (LAW 395 Poverty Law: Legal Needs of the Underrepresented) was made possible by a gift from the Heaney Family Fund. Starting in their second year, students may also enroll in a civil law poverty externship with nonprofit organizations, such as Legal Aid of Nebraska. Students in externships earn four credits: one classroom credit and three non-classroom credits on a pass/fail basis. Students may take a second externship for three non-classroom credits.

Starting in the fall of 2018, the program expanded and pro bono and community service hours are now a voluntary component of this program, with students receiving recognition for their time at an annual spring awards luncheon and at Hooding.

What Qualifies as Pro Bono Work?

Qualifying pro bono service is the provision of voluntary, law-related public service under the supervision of a licensed attorney for which the student does not receive academic credit or pay. Such pro bono legal services must be provided without fee or expectation of fee to persons of limited means or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters that are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means.

Additionally, the following law-related service activities qualify as pro bono service although they do not require attorney supervision: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Office of Public Guardian Court Visitor Program, Sarpy County Teen Court and serving as a legal observer for peaceful protests and other free speech demonstrations.

The delivery of legal services to other disadvantaged populations or community-based nonprofit organizations, or to individuals and organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights may also be considered qualifying pro bono activity subject to the pre-approval of the program director.

What Qualifies as Community Service?

Qualifying community service is any volunteer work completed for a nonprofit organization or other entity primarily serving persons of limited means. Other volunteer work for underserved and vulnerable populations may also be considered qualifying community service subject to the pre-approval of the program director.

The Pro Bono Program sponsors an annual Law School Service Day during which students, faculty, staff and alumni participate in an afternoon of direct service work with local nonprofit organizations like Heart Ministry Center, Keep Omaha Beautiful, Open Door Mission, Restoring Dignity and the Siena-Francis House.

Note: All pro bono and community service activity must be reported to the program director by filling out the Pro Bono & Community Service Activity Record form.

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Pro Bono Form