Pro Bono Scholars Program Law and Power Externship

Course Description

Seminar

The PBSP Law and Power Externship seminar carries four credits, beginning with a one-week, full-time intensive grounding, and then meeting for two hours weekly during the remaining portion of the twelve-week program.

The seminar will focus on an exploration of what it means to be a lawyer working for justice. Students will also delve into practical questions and skill development activities to help ground their lives as lawyers working for change. The curriculum does presume some commitment to, or interest in, the role that attorneys can play in supporting social change movements, but we hope that the content will be useful and interesting to students regardless of their employment plans.

Fieldwork

The fieldwork component is the central focus of the PBSP Law and Power Externship. Students will work with one or more attorneys in the particular non-profit, in consultation with the professor. Students should include information in their applications about their interest in particular experiences and career directions so that these may be taken into account when assigning fieldwork placements. The fieldwork assignment process will occur after students accept their clinic offer. 

Qualifications for Applicants

The clinic is open to 3Ls who will complete all other coursework required for graduation prior to the Spring semester; be in good academic standing and in compliance with law school, New York State and ABA requirements for graduation. Prior to applying, students should review the Overall Caps and Non-Classroom Credit Caps in the JD Program Requirements.

Students are encouraged to have completed both Professional Responsibility and the Option A writing requirement by the end of the fall semester of the third year. Students must take the New York Bar Exam in February, 2026. (In extraordinary circumstances, a student may not be required to take the New York Bar Exam, but this requires the permission of the professor.)

Application Procedure

Students should submit an application, resume and transcript on-line via CAMS. Applicants will be contacted during the clinic application period for an interview.

NYU students can also participate in the Pro Bono Scholars Program through the Education Advocacy Clinic (EAC), working on special education cases. Students interested in participating in the Pro Bono Scholars Program through the Education Advocacy Clinic should apply directly to that clinic.

* 14 credits include 10 fieldwork credits and 4 academic seminar credits. Students will receive a letter grade for the seminar. The fieldwork component is assessed on a credit/fail basis. The Externship can count for either the experiential learning requirement or the Option B writing requirement.