University of California Law Program in DC

Why should you come?  Benefits to future employment:  References  Expand network of contacts  Job leads  Work and practice in Nation’s Capital  Improve professional legal skills  Expand professional network (eg. work, mentor program, other students)  Unique work experiences (eg. VAWA, Immigration reform)  Exciting legal market  Witness the unique role attorneys in DC have in impacting the Nation’s policies through means such as legislation, enforcement, and rule making.

Comments from Past Students  Made great contacts within DOJ as well as learned substantive information on topics I currently work on. My supervisors were happy to write letters of recommendation or serve as references, which I believe have helped me in securing a permanent job.  The law program was helpful to establishing a network in DC. Though I haven't worked in DC since the program, I have gotten leads regarding employment opportunities through former colleagues and friends made during my time in the program.  My UCDC placement and contacts were extremely helpful in getting my job. I am fairly certain that I got the interview because of my FTC position because the firm had many ex-FTC lawyers. In addition, it was the references from my UCDC placement that vouched for me and really solidified the firm's decision to extend an offer.  I was pleasantly surprised to receive a job offer from the office I externed for. I am coming up on two years as an attorney for the office.  Helped me develop and ground my interest in disability law and police misconduct work. The program did help me obtain my current fellowship experience because I gained so much relevant work experience while at the DOJ. My supervisor also provided me with a helpful recommendation letter for this position.  UCDC was one of the best experiences I've had in law school so far. While at the DOJ, my writing and research skills improved dramatically. My internship influenced my decision to apply for a clerkship after graduation, and I made wonderful professional connections while I was there.  I'm sure working at the White House has helped and will continue to help me. I got challenging, hands-on experience writing and thinking at intersections of law and policy; and, of course, "White House" is eye- catching. I made great friends through the program, atmospheric though that may be, both within and beyond the White House. I keep in touch with quite a few of them. I loved the weekly speakers, all of whom were engaging.  UCDC was incredibly helpful to me in obtaining my clerkship. During my externship with the Department of Justice, I was able to draft briefs and memorandums that allowed me to hone my appellate writing and research skills and demonstrate my interest in appellate work. I was able to work with people who had clerked across the country, and they provided me with insight and guidance on applying and went to bat for me with judges.

Program Overview  Full Semester (14 weeks in DC)  13 credits (10 placement pass/fail; 3 seminar graded)  Fall and Spring Only  Classroom and externship  Special Programming – Supreme Court, Capitol, Mentor/Student Happy Hour, Alumni Career Panel

Externship Component  Work 40 hours per week for 14 weeks  14 weeks and dates are set by Program  14 week min. Some schools have 560 requirement  See school for school specific hour requirements  Placed at federal government, non-profit, Hill, public interest firm  Must be supervised by JD, engaged in substantive legal-work, non-paid  All placements must be approved by Director of the program  10 credit (pass/fail)

Seminar Component  3 credit mandatory seminar (graded)  Law and Lawyering in Nations Capital - Class meets once a week in the evenings from 6-9 pm - Explores the roles of attorneys in Washington, D.C. - Speakers – Executive Branch, Legislative, Judicial, and Public Interest - Puts the work at your placement in context  Class includes a student presentation and 4 short writing assignments

Fall 2014 Students with Justice Ginsburg

Application Requirements UCDC Law Application  Read application, instructions and addendums on webpage at  Verify eligibility with home school, i.e., - Semester in school - Sufficient units/credits Submit application for fall 2015 by: March 13 (early) Rolling deadline after March 13 – applications will be accepted until June 1 but note many placements may not be available. Fall 2015 Program Dates: TBD

Placement Process 1. Submit UCDC law application to me (used by me to help identify placements) 2. Schedule a phone call with me for assistance in identifying placements 3. Student submits individual applications to each placement where student is interested. It is the student’s responsibility to submit required materials to placement, e.g., resume, targeted cover letter, transcript, WS 4. Start applying to placements immediately – security clearances (a quick word about security clearances) 5. If offered placement do not accept until Director approves 6. It is okay to find the placement on your own but must still get approval 7. Once placement is approved you are able to register 8. Not obligated to participate unless receive offer (please do not accept unless you fully intend on coming)

See Sample Placement List on Website  Senate Judiciary Committee  District Court for the District of Columbia  U.S. Department of Education  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  U.S. Department of Justice  U.S. Department of State  U.S. Department of Treasury  U.S. Federal Trade Commission  U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission  White House  U.S. Department of Labor  CFTC  Non-Profit/NGOs  American Civil Liberties Unit (ACLU) - National Prison Project  American Council on Education, Office of General Council  D.C. Public Defender Service  NAACP Legal Defense Fund  Natural Resource Defense Council - Climate Policy Center  Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 

Dates and Deadlines Fall 2015 Deadline: March 13 (early) Rolling deadline after March 13 – applications will be accepted until June 1 but note many placements may not be available. Fall 2015 Program Dates: TBD Spring 2016 Deadline: October 15 Spring Program Dates: TBD

UCDC Law Program Director Nicole Lehtman (202) UCDC Law Program – UCLA Lisa Mead Director of Externship and Field Placement (310) Wendy Haro Wendy Haro Externship Coordinator (310) UCLA Law - program/externshiphome/UCDC/Pages/default.aspx

UCDC Law Program Director Nicole Lehtman (202) UCDC Law Program – program Berkeley Sue Schechter Field Placement Director (510) Sasha Thomas-Nuruddin Sasha Thomas-Nuruddin Professional Skills Program Assistant Field Placement Program Assistant (510) UC Berkeley Law –

UCDC Law Program Director Nicole Lehtman (202) UCDC Law Program – program Irvine Laura Fry Laura Fry Director of Internships (949) UC Irvine Law –

UCDC Law Program Director Nicole Lehtman (202) UCDC Law Program – program Davis Hollis Kulwin Hollis Kulwin Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (530) Rena Contreras Rena Contreras Administrator – Clinical, Externship, and Trial Practice Programs (530) UC Davis Law– clinicals/ucdc-overview.html