Experiential Learning

Prospective students must complete an application to be considered for clinics and externships. Students should plan their experiential curriculum choices in advance and seek advisement from their advisor and/or the Associate Dean for Experiential Education and Clinical Programs.

The ABA now requires students to take one or more experiential course totaling at least six credit hours. To satisfy this requirement, a student must select a course that is a simulation, clinic or externship. Although only six credit hours of clinics, externships and other experience-based courses is required, students are encouraged to take advantage of the variety of opportunities for practice experience that such courses offer.

Courses that meet the experiential learning requirement are labeled as LAW XXXXE in the course bulletin and on the schedule.

There is no limit on the number of experiential learning courses you may take. Note that there is a limit of 18 s/u credits. Externship and Off-site clinics (Mediation, Capital Defender, and Olmstead Clinics) are graded using s/u and those credits count towards the s/u cap.

It depends. Per College of Law policy and in accordance with the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, students may not simultaneously enroll in two experiential courses when one or both courses involve representation of live clients. This policy applies to in-house and off-site clinics, externships, and any other experiential courses that involve the representation of live clients.

Pursuant to this policy, students may not take an in-house clinic and an externship or experiential course that involve the representation of live clients (as opposed to simulations) in the same semester. Only in exceptional circumstances may a student take an externship at the same time as an off-site clinic (Capital Defender Clinic, Landlord-Tenant Mediation Clinic, or Olmstead Disability Rights Clinic) or an experiential course that involves the representation of live clients such as Fundamentals of Law Practice. In order to do so, the student must receive advance permission from Prof. Kendall Kerew, Director of Externships, and the professor of the off-Site clinic or other experiential course.

Students are permitted to take an externship, or a clinic or other course that involves the representation of live clients at the same time as a simulation-based experiential course.

If you have a question about whether you are permitted to enroll in two particular courses at the same time, be sure to confirm in advance of registration to avoid having to withdraw from one of the courses based upon this policy.

The College of Law curriculum infuses experiential learning throughout your course of study. Students begin in the first year with a required experiential course, Lawyering: Foundations, which involves significant practice-focused experiential exercises. Students may begin taking elective experiential courses as soon as they have completed their first year and met any necessary prerequisites for a specific course.

In-House Clincs

In-house clinics are based in the Center for Clinical Programs, which is located inside the College of Law. Students enrolled in a clinic course attend a weekly clinic seminar and work in the clinic office handling real cases for their clients. Students in the clinic will perform all aspects of legal work, such as interviewing, counseling, negotiation, drafting documents, appearing before tribunals, and more. Students are supervised by faculty members or supervising attorneys employed by the clinic. Learn more about Clinics.

Off-Site Clincs

Off-Site clinics are taught and supervised by adjunct faculty. Students attend a seminar component of the course and perform the work of that clinic through the off-site office, where the professor is based. Learn more about Clinics.

Externships

Externships are also based off site. Externship placements include government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and judge’s offices. Students are paired with site-supervising attorneys who work one-on-one with students as they develop their legal skills. Students also work throughout the semester with a faculty supervisor who helps guide their learning experience. Learn more about Externships.

Simulation Courses

Simulation courses are courses that simulate real legal work and may include assignments and role-plays based on real legal matters. However, no clients are involved.

There is no cap on the number of clinics or experiential courses a student may take. However, students may only take two semesters of externships.

Certification to practice under the student practice rule is available to those enrolled in clinics, externships, and other courses in which students work on real legal matters. Each program will ensure its students receive certification as necessary.

All experiential courses except Lawyering: Foundations and Lawyering: Advocacy are electives. As such, they can be taken in any order you choose. It is recognized as a best practice in legal education for students to take both a clinic and an externship before they graduate.