Field Placement
With more than 500 externships each year, the GW Law Field Placement Program is among the most extensive legal externship programs in the nation. Our unparalleled location in the heart of Washington, DC, provides students with unique opportunities to gain real-world experience at government agencies, courts, and nonprofit organizations. Students earn academic credit, gain practical legal skills, and receive regular feedback from the practicing attorneys or judges who supervise their externships during the course of their experiential learning in the field. The Program is offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters, and many students participate in multiple externships during their time at GW Law.
In addition to their experiential learning in the field, students benefit from the guidance of the distinguished judges and attorneys who teach the required corequisite courses. These courses, taught in an experiential format, are designed to encourage learning by doing and to foster thoughtful reflection.
The Field Placement Program is a true academic jewel that offers the quintessential DC-infused experience. The Program allows students to apply classroom concepts in real legal settings, clarify and refine career goals, build strong professional networks, strengthen their resumes, and enrich their overall academic experience.
The Primary Educational Objectives of the Field Placement Program:
- Provide students with the opportunity to gain experience in different substantive areas of law and legal process and reflect upon their professional development;
- Develop legal research, writing, interviewing, counseling and investigative skills and engage in reflective lawyering;
- Deal with issues of professional responsibility in a practice setting and give thought to an attorney’s ethical and moral choices and obligations;
- Consider cross-cultural competency within the context of client representation and an attorney's role in creating a legal system providing equal access and eliminating bias, discrimination, and racism in the law.
Our Unique Location in the Nation's Capital
— Sall Ahmadian, JD ‘25. 9th Judicial District NM (Fall 2023), U.S. Attorney’s Office DC (Spring 2024), U.S. District Court DC (Fall 2024), Clerk for Chief Judge Gonzales, U.S. District Court NM (Postgrad)
"The Program enabled me to earn academic credit while increasing my marketability for a post-graduation position. Each experience is an additional talking point during an interview with a prospective employer. It also provided on-the-job training in legal drafting, research, and time management."
— Jill Chien, JD '24. Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (Fall 2022–Spring 2024); Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (Fall 2023)
“Field Placement was one of the most valuable experiences I had during my time at GW, and I will take everything I learned with me into my career as a public interest practitioner. The Program has given me the opportunity to provide services directly to clients and I have been able to apply what I learned to helping people in our community.”
— Marissa Sable, JD ‘25. CREW (Fall 2023), U.S. District Court DC (Spring 2024), Willkie Farr (Postgrad)
“Through the Field Placement Program, I have been able to gain writing experience and witness 'lawyering' in action. I can confidently say I have not only achieved my goals this semester but now have the confidence to set even more ambitious goals for my future.”
— Taylor Moorer, JD ‘25. Children’s National Hospital (Fall 2024); Superior Court of DC (Spring 2025); Health Law Fellow, MedStar Health (Postgrad)
“I have honed transferable skills such as attention to detail, negotiation, and problem-solving, which are crucial in both legal and business environments. Through this experience, I’ve gained confidence in applying legal principles to real-world transactions, preparing me for a successful career after graduation."
Field Placement myGW Group
Visit the Field Placement group on myGW for additional information about eligibility, registration, and finding an externship. Use your GW SSO credentials to access the information.
Externship Opportunities
Visit CORE to view current postings, and find the list of Field Placement-Eligible CORE Postings on the Field Placement myGW group.
Forms and Guidance
For additional information about supervisor duties, please contact us at fieldplacement
law [dot] gwu [dot] edu.
Posting Externship Opportunities
Post an externship for GW Law students online using CORE.
For information on how to post an opportunity, contact postjobslaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu.
If you have questions regarding students earning academic credit for their work, contact fieldplacementlaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu.
The Domestic Violence Project is a Field Placement Program corequisite course for students enrolled in a domestic violence legal placement, including trial work with a local legal service provider on domestic violence cases, policy or legislative work on domestic violence issues with a national organization, or appellate work with the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP).
As a part of GW Law’s Business and Finance Law Program, selected students may participate in the GW Law in New York Program in New York City during the fall or spring semesters to engage in practical, in-depth study and experience in the field. GWNY prepares students for business law practice, encompassing the fields of banking, bankruptcy, commercial, corporate, finance, real estate, securities, and transactional law.
- What are the externship eligibility requirements?
- Government, judicial, and nonprofit organizations
- Paid or unpaid*
- Last at least 8 weeks
- Externships can be remote, in-person, or hybrid format
*Paid externships are permitted with government, judicial and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
- Who is eligible for Field Placement?
- JD students can participate in the Program after the completion of the law school's first-year curriculum
- Most LLM students can participate. However, we recommend that LLM students confirm eligibility with their respective Program Dean or Director
- MSL students may earn academic credit for qualifying externships through the Field Placement Program with approval from their respective Program Dean or Director
- What is the corequisite requirement?
- A corequisite course is mandatory for JD participants
- The corequisite courses are taught by judges or attorneys
- LLMs and MSLs are not required to take a corequisite course
- How can I secure an externship?
- Schedule an appointment with a career counselor who can help you secure a position that qualifies for Field Placement and aligns with your professional goals
- Browse and apply for positions that “may be eligible for Field Placement” on CORE
- A list of recent student evaluations is available on the Field Placement group on myGW. The list will offer insight into recent student experiences at many placement organizations.
- Field Placement regularly sends emails and Dean McCoy’s Pick of the Week to students, highlighting potential opportunities. 1Ls should expect to begin receiving these emails in the spring semester
- Any position that meets the Field Placement Program requirements will be approved
- What credits can I earn in Field Placement?
- All JD Student Externs in the Program will be enrolled by Field Placement in two courses:
- Field Placement
- A corequisite course that relates to their externship work
- JD students may earn 1-4 Field Placement credits per semester, and 8 credits total over the course of their law school matriculation (this does not include credits for the corequisite course)
- LLM and MSL students may earn 1-2 Field Placement credits per semester, and 4 credits total over the course of their law school matriculation
- Each credit requires:
- 60 hours of work
- 5 pages of written work product
- Each externship must last at least 8 weeks
- All JD Student Externs in the Program will be enrolled by Field Placement in two courses:
A Message from Dean McCoy
The Field Placement Program is the platinum standard! Each year, GW Law students participate in approximately 500 externships with the unique government, judicial, and nonprofit organizations that surround our campus in Washington, D.C. The value of these hands-on, experiential learning opportunities cannot be overstated.
As a law student, you must always remember that experience matters. To discover or refine your career goals and to increase your marketability, it is critical that you gain practical experience. The Field Placement Program allows you to build your legal skills, apply your classroom knowledge, and develop your professional identity in a real-world legal setting.
The Field Placement Program also provides a valuable opportunity to grow your professional network. In addition to the attorneys and judges you will work with in the field, your corequisite courses are taught by highly accomplished and respected judges and attorneys from the distinguished organizations that surround GW Law. The invaluable professional guidance, insights, and mentorship that students receive in the field and from their corequisite course professors will benefit them greatly throughout their legal careers.
At GW Law, you are always just steps away from the places and people who can help you achieve your career goals. This proximity to opportunity is a central reason why students choose GW Law. Raise High!
Keri A. McCoy
Assistant Dean for Field Placement
Professorial Lecturer in Law, Advanced Field Placement