Course Information
Externships are experiential learning courses that integrate academic work with fieldwork in real-world settings. Students gain a deeper understanding of the law and see first-hand how it is applied while working under the direct supervision of lawyers and judges in a variety of practice settings. Through the combination of their experiences, communication with their field supervisors and assigned professor, and discussions with other externs, students gain legal knowledge, develop practice skills, work on their professional identity, and reflect on the professional and ethical obligations of attorneys.
Eligibility
Students may enroll in judicial, government, public interest, or congressional externships during the fall, spring or summer semester. Legislative externships are offered every two years during the spring semester when the Nevada Legislature is in session.
Students who have successfully completed all required first-year courses are eligible to enroll in an externship course. Some placements require that students have a minimum of 45 credits or have taken specific courses. Information regarding specific requirements or prerequisites are provided in the individual posted placement descriptions.
Externship Credits
Students may enroll in 3-7 externship credits if the externship is located in the Las Vegas area or up to 12 credits if the externship requires the student to relocate outside Las Vegas. Students are required to work a minimum of 46 hours per externship credit at their placement during the semester.
Academic coursework and field work is graded on a Satisfactory/Fail basis. Students may take a maximum of 12 externship credits during law school.
Application Process
Here’s what to expect when applying for an externship through the My BoydLaw Externship Portal:
When to Apply
The application form is available during specific times:
June – for Fall externships
October – for Spring externships
February – for Summer externships
How the Process Works
Complete and Submit the Application Form
Once submitted and approved, you’ll receive an email with instructions to upload required materials, such as:Updated resume
Cover letter
Writing sample
Resume Review Requirement
All resumes must be reviewed by the Career Development Office (CDO) within 90 days of your application date.If your resume has never been reviewed or you’ve added new information, send your updated resume (as a Word document) to:
📧 BSLCareerServices@unlv.edu
⏱️ Allow 3–5 business days for feedback.If your resume was reviewed within the last 90 days and you’ve made no changes, you may submit it as is.
Rolling Submissions to Placements
Student application packets are forwarded to externship sites on a rolling basis throughout the cycle.
Need More Details?
Externship FAQ
To review a list of externship opportunities for the upcoming fall semester, visit the My BoydLaw Externship Portal at https://portal.law.unlv.edu/externships/placements.
To see a list of approved placements, click on the blue link "Externship Placement Fall 2025 List" and then select the appropriate tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
To review detailed descriptions for each placement, click on the blue box in the center of the page entitled "Placement Descriptions" and then click on the appropriate "Placement Description" folder.
As you will see on the list of available field placements on the Externship Portal, some placements require a 5-10 page writing sample, which can be your LPI memo or LPII brief. Information regarding creating a writing sample can be found on the Career Development Office Portal at https://portal.law.unlv.edu/career-development/job-search/sample-documents.
No, students may not enroll in an externship and receive academic credit for work in a for-profit law firm, agency or corporation, except in approved legislative placements during the Nevada Legislative Session during the spring semester every two years.
Students may receive monetary compensation for work in approved field placements if the field placement offers monetary compensation for externs. Approved field placements are in judicial, government, public interest, congressional, and legislative offices. The Boyd School of Law does not provide monetary compensation to students in any field placement. A student may be reimbursed by the field placement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to the externship.
Students must submit the externship application before the deadline, be accepted into the Externship Program, and be selected by an approved placement to enroll in the externship course. Students who secure a position with an approved placement without applying through the Externship Program are considered interns and not eligible to enroll in the externship course or earn academic credits until the student's application is reviewed and approved by the Director of Externships. Students who enroll in an externship without going through the appropriate processes will be disenrolled from the externship course. All externships are subject to approval by the Director of Externships.
Contact the Director of Externships to discuss those opportunities.
