The Externship Director Role: One Size Does Not Fit All

Among those who are responsible for externship programs, there is great variety in terms of title, status, responsibilities, and level of integration in the life of the law school. Beth is a Clinical Professor of Law and the Director of Professional Skills at Fordham and oversees three programs – Externships, Fundamental Lawyering Skills, and Pro Bono Scholars. Until this year, Kennisha was Georgetown Law’s Director of the J.D. Externship Program and now oversees the Law Center’s J.D. Externship, Practicum, and Simulation Programs, as the Assistant Dean for Experiential Education. Beth has led Fordham’s Externship Program for almost ten years, while Kennisha has led Georgetown’s for a year and a half. We expect attendees will include those who occupy other types of positions, including within career development offices and/or pro bono or public interest programs. While we recognize that the role of an externship director must be shaped by the particular needs of a school, we would like to address, together with those attending this session, whether there are key characteristics and responsibilities that all should have, i.e., whether there are certain aspects of the role that transcend the differences among schools. We will also discuss whether the recent, significant revisions in the ABA Standards governing field placements have prompted changes in the externship director role. In addition, we plan to discuss: the challenges and opportunities of our respective roles; the extent to which we were able to shape our roles; the externship program\u27s place within our school\u27s program of experiential education; our relationships with other faculty and administrators; and the different ways we manage the demands on our time