The UCDC Law Program is a uniquely collaborative, full-semester externship program in Washington, DC. The program combines a weekly seminar-style course with a full-time field placement to offer law students an unparalleled opportunity to learn how federal statutes, regulations, and policies are made, changed, and understood in the nation’s capital. During four months’ total immersion in the theory and practice of Washington lawyering, students will have contact with all three branches of the federal government, independent regulatory agencies, and dvocacy nonprofits.
The Program includes law students from UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and UC Law SF. Students receive 13 units for successful completion of the program: 10 units for the field placements and 3 units for the required companion course, “Law and Lawyering in the Nation’s Capital.” Currently, there is no cap on enrollment. The Program typically enrolls between 15 and 35 students. The Program is housed at the University of California, Washington Center, a UC facility located at 1608 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., just minutes from the White House and most government departments and agencies.
The UCDC Law Program is a uniquely collaborative, full-semester externship program in Washington, D.C. The Program includes law students from Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and UC Law SF. The Program combines a weekly seminar-style course with a full-time field placement to offer law students an unparalleled opportunity to learn how federal statutes, regulations, and policies are made, changed, and understood in the nation’s capital. During 14-weeks of total immersion in the theory and practice of Washington lawyering, students will have contact with all three branches of the federal government, independent regulatory agencies, and advocacy nonprofits.
Students are eligible to receive 13 units for successful completion of the program: 10 units for the field placement and 3 units for the required companion course, “Law and Lawyering in the Nation’s Capital.” In order to receive academic credit for their externships, students must work a minimum of 14 weeks, or 560 hours, in an eligible placement. Externships must meet the
following qualifications:
Student externs must work under the direct supervision of an attorney.
The externship site must be an organization that is directly involved in federal law or judiciary either legislative, executive, regulatory, or advocacy work.
The externship supervisor must adhere to an educational experience consistent with the UCDC Law Externship Agreement.
Seminar Description
The seminar is designed to enhance the externship experience in three principal ways. First, students will learn about the process of federal lawmaking directly from leading government lawyers, lobbyists, and public interest advocates. Second, they will explore new career opportunities unique to lawyering in Washington, even as they enhance their professional skill sets. Third, they will investigate the unique roles lawyers in Washington play in making and changing federal law and policy.
Class sessions include frequent guest speakers and class discussion based on students’ questions. Throughout the semester we will also have classes devoted to a “grand round”-style exchange to facilitate peer-to-peer learning about lawyering at the broad range of externship sites. The seminar will include four short writing assignments as well as a student presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fees does the UCDC Law Program charge participating students?
Students in the UCDC Law Program pay no fees other than the instructional fees charged by their home campuses. These do not exceed the amount paid for the same number of units on campus. Students interested in coming to Washington, D.C. should budget for living expenses, which may be higher than those in California, air travel, and transit expenses incurred while commuting to and from work. A transit expense calculator can be found at www.wmata.com.
What do I need to know about security clearances?
Many government externship sites, such as the State Department, Department of Justice, and White House, require that students obtain security clearances as a condition of employment. Applicants should be aware that these clearances can take several weeks and may delay their externship start dates. Students are strongly encouraged to be proactive in checking with their
supervisors to ensure that their clearance is being processed in a timely manner and should be aware that factors such as dual citizenship, drug use in the past five years, late credit card payments, and past arrests may cause delays.
A PowerPoint presentation with additional information about the UCDC Law Program is available. here
To apply to the Law Program all students must submit a UCDC Law application, resume, unofficial transcript, and brief statement of interest. Applications are typically accepted one semester in advance but may be submitted up to one year in advance of participation in the Law Program. Please see Important Dates for application deadlines.
Students who would like to apply to the UCDC Law Program should first determine whether they satisfy basic eligibility requirements set by their home campus by reading the home school addendum attached to the application. While there are not binding course prerequisites for participation in the program, some externship sites do have specific course requirements. Applicants should make themselves aware of these requirements prior to applying to the Law Program.
After confirming eligibility, interested students should complete an application here: https://forms.gle/jwBLF3yU2JTagaS9A, making sure to pay special attention to the attached addendum, and submit it along with the additonal materials listed above
to nicole.lehtman@ucdc.edu with a copy to the appropriate staff at their home campus listed on the Contact Us page.
Students considering participating in the UCDC Law Program should feel free to direct any questions to Program Director Nicole Lehtman at Nicole.Lehtman@ucdc.edu.
It is the responsibility of students participating in the Law Program to secure their own externship. Program staff are constantly developing new externship opportunities, and will work with students and externship supervisors to achieve the best possible matches. Regardless, students are encouraged to conduct their own research to identify placements of interest or specific areas of interest. Once the UCDC law application is submitted, the Program Director will schedule a telephone appointment to discuss placement options that are consistent with the students’ interest. After the initial telephone call, the Program Director will provide students with a list of potential placement matches. It is the students’ responsibility to submit their application to the placements. Students are free to apply to the placements of their choice, however, to participate in the Law Program a UCDC law application is required.
The Program Director is available to the students throughout the placement process to help with their placement search. Students should provide the Program Director with periodic updates on their progress.
If you are made an offer, you must obtain the Program Director’s approval immediately. You cannot accept an offer or enroll in the Program without having your placement approved by the Director. The Program Director will contact the placement to ensure it will meet the required criteria indicated below:
Direct supervision by an attorney
Involvement with federal law (either legislative, executive, regulatory or advocacy work)
Commitment from the externship supervisor to ensure an educational experience consistent with the UCDC Law Externship Agreement. The Agreement will be provided to you by the Program Director.
Once the placement is approved, the Program Director will notify your school and you will be permitted to register for the placement and companion course.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this date, please contact UCDC Law Program Director.
Application Deadline
Fall 2024: Encouraged to submit application by April 1
Spring 2025: Encouraged to submit application by October 15
Program Dates
Fall 2024: September 3 - December 13
Spring 2025: January 21 - April 25
Address
University of California Washington Center
1608 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Room 342
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 974-6392
Fax: (202) 974-6250
Director Information
Nicole V. Lehtman
Director, UCDC Law Program
Lecturer-in-Residence
nicole.lehtman@ucdc.edu
(202) 974-6392
Ms. Lehtman is the Director of the University of California Washington DC Law Program. Prior to joining the UCDC Law Program, Ms. Lehtman served as the first program manager and adjunct professor for the Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law’s Washington DC Legal Externship Program. In that position, Ms. Lehtman was responsible for counseling law students from across the country on available externship opportunities with the federal government and DC-based non-profit organizations; and provided students with support and guidance throughout their time in Washington, DC. Ms. Lehtman has also served as an adjunct professor in the Trial Advocacy program at American University’s Washington College of Law.
Ms. Lehtman has extensive government experience working as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice. Ms. Lehtman served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Office of International Affairs, where she coordinated international extradition and mutual legal assistance matters involving Latin America. Ms. Lehtman has also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia where she was responsible for prosecuting criminal actions in the District of Columbia on behalf of the United States. Ms. Lehtman also worked at a private law firm in South Florida specializing in civil
litigation and international arbitration.
Born in Miami, Ms. Lehtman is a native Spanish speaker whose family is from Santiago, Chile. She is a graduate, cum laude, of American University’s Washington College of Law and of the University of Miami, where she graduated, cum laude, with a degree in Political Science and International Studies.
Campus Staff and Program Information
Berkeley Law
Sue Schechter
Field Placement Program Director
sschechter@law.berkeley.edu
(510) 643-7387
UC Hastings College of the Law
Nira Geevargis
Director, Externship and Associate Clinical Professor
geevargis@uchastings.edu
(415) 565-4620
UC Davis School of Law
Dena Bauman
Director, Externship Programs
drbauman@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-3142
UC Irvine School of Law
Anna Davis
Director of Externships
adavis@law.uci.edu
UCLA School of Law
Anne Sidwell
Director of Extern & Field Placement Programs
sidwell@law.ucla.edu
(310) 206-4945
The UCDC Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at: here
The report contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime
reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures UCDC will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by UCDC or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in UCDC’s On-Campus Student Housing Facility (the UC Washington Center) during the three most recent calendar years.
A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request. If you would like to receive a paper copy, you can stop by the Residential Life Office in Room 413 (located at 1608 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington, DC, 20036) or you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling (202) 974-6216 or emailing studentservices@ucdc.edu.