Working at the USD School of Law Legal Clinics is a great way to earn course credit while learning practical skills and gaining real-world legal experience. USD Law students may enroll in the USD Legal Clinics for academic credit (tuition fee) or as a volunteer (structured program). Students enrolling in a clinic for academic credit will be given placement priority.
Remember that enrollment in a clinic is limited and that some clinics fill up quickly. Follow the application procedure below to apply to work at the Legal Clinics.
Identify which legal clinics fit with your academic schedule
Weekly class attendance is mandatory, so your schedule must be open during your preferred clinic’s meeting times.
Log in to MySanDiego to view the online schedule for information on clinic meeting times and instructors. See the Course Descriptions for more details.
Note that:
- Prerequisites vary, so read the descriptions carefully.
- All courses require an email authorization from the USD Legal Clinics to enroll.
For Clinic I & II classes, the grading scale is a 4-tier Pass/Fail.
Complete the online application
When completing the online application, you will be asked to include your resume and unofficial law school transcript.
You will also be asked to choose a clinic(s) and give a preference of 1, 2 or 3. Although we do our best to match students with the clinic they want to work for, we cannot guarantee that all students will receive their top choice.
Interview
You may be contacted for an interview by the professor. The purpose of the interview is to give students an opportunity to meet with the professor and get detailed information regarding types of cases, time commitment and class times.
Contact the USD Legal Clinics at (619) 260-7470 if you have any questions about the enrollment process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No. You must pick one per semester. You may be able to take a clinic and an externship during the same semester. Please consult your academic advisor.
It depends. Each credit requires a total of 50 hours during the course of the semester or summer session. During the academic year, each Clinic I (except Workers’ Rights) requires a minimum of two credits. Two credits will require a total of 100 hours (50 hours per credit times two credits) over the course of the semester. Class time counts toward the hours requirement. Meeting with clients, working on cases, legal research and consulting with your professor all counts towards the required hours. Over the course of a 14 week semester, most Legal Interns do not find it challenging to meet the 100 hours requirement for two credits or 150 hours for three credits. Taking four credits requiring 200 total hours can be a challenge depending on other time commitments in a particular student’s schedule.
The Legal Clinics are located in Barcelona 301. Please stop by during regular business hours for a VIP tour of the Legal Clinics.
Four tier grading (HP/P/LP/No Pass).
You may take a Legal Clinic starting the summer immediately after completing your first year of law school.
The Legal Clinics have a structured volunteer program. Students taking a Legal Clinic for academic credit are given placement priority. A few clinics such as the Entrepreneurship Clinic rarely accept volunteers while others accept volunteers on a regular basis. Volunteers must also submit an online application using the link above. Students participating in the structured volunteer program must meet the same requirements as students taking a clinic for academic credit, including attending a weekly class session and holding office hours at the Legal Clinics. Students participating in the structured volunteer program must commit to volunteering for a minimum of 50 hours per semester or summer session.
Clinic students must attend the mandatory weekly class meeting (day and time listed in Banner). Students must also schedule time during the week when they will be at the Legal Clinics for office hours. Assigned clients and clinic staff will know they can contact a particular clinic student during his or her weekly office hours.
Each student sets his or her own office hours schedule. The number of office hours per week depends on the student’s weekly schedule and the number of credits enrolled at the Legal Clinics. Office hours count toward the total hours required for the semester. Please plan to hold your office hours and meet with clients during the Legal Clinics’ regular business hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yes.
Yes.
Most clinics average five to six students per semester. Some clinics fill quickly.
Yes. Please consult with your academic advisor.
Yes. Many students like to continue working with the same clients for multiple semesters to see a case through to final resolution.
Yes.
Yes.
Civil Clinic, Education & Disability Clinic, Entrepreneurship Clinic, Federal Tax Clinic, Immigration Clinic, State Sales & Use Tax Clinic, State Income Tax Clinic, Women's Clinic, and Veterans Clinic.
No. Your assigned clients need your help and legal talent during the entire summer session.
By the end of the first week of class.