The UCDC Law Program is a full-semester externship program in Washington, DC for students from UC Berkeley Law, UCLA Law, UC Davis Law, UC Irvine Law, and UC Law SF. Students combine a full-time field placement with a weekly seminar, gaining hands-on experience with federal law, policy, and institutions while earning 13 academic units.
The UCDC Law Program is a collaborative, full-semester externship program in Washington, DC for students from UC Berkeley Law, UCLA Law, UC Davis Law, UC Irvine Law, and UC Law SF. The program combines a full-time field placement with a weekly seminar, offering students an immersive opportunity to understand how federal statutes, regulations, and policies are made, interpreted, and applied in the nation’s capital.
During four months in Washington, students gain direct exposure to all three branches of the federal government, independent regulatory agencies, and advocacy nonprofits. The seminar features guest lecturers with firsthand experience in Congress, executive branch agencies, the courts, and nonprofit organizations, providing insight into the unique realities of lawyering in Washington, DC.
Students earn 13 units for successful completion of the program: 10 units for the externship and 3 units for the required seminar, Law and Lawyering in the Nation’s Capital. The program is housed at the University of California Washington Center, located just minutes from the White House and federal agencies.
Field Placement (10 Units – Pass/Fail)
Students work full time for 14 weeks (40 hours per week) in a legal placement under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney. Placements may be with the executive branch, legislative branch, judiciary, or nonprofit and advocacy organizations. Law firms and for-profit organizations are not eligible placements.
Externships are designed to provide substantive legal experience, professional mentorship, and regular feedback, and to ensure students engage in legal work consistent with academic credit requirements.
Academic Seminar: Law and Lawyering in the Nation’s Capital (3 Units – Graded)
The companion seminar meets weekly and provides a structured forum for reflection and analysis. The course includes guest speakers, class discussion, short written assignments, and a final student presentation, connecting students’ fieldwork to broader institutional and policy frameworks.
Academic credit is awarded through the student’s home law school and counts toward JD degree requirements, subject to campus policies.
Costs & Housing
Students pay tuition and fees to their home law school. There is no additional program fee charged by UCDC Law.
Students are responsible for:
• Securing housing in Washington, D.C.
• Travel to and from D.C.
• Living expenses
• Any costs associated with background checks or security clearances required by placements
Housing resources and guidance are available through the UC Washington Center.
The UCDC Law Program is open to fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-semester law students from UC Berkeley School of Law, UCLA School of Law, UC Davis School of Law, UC Irvine School of Law, and UC Law San Francisco. First-year law students and first-semester second-year law students are not eligible.
Eligibility requirements and approval processes may vary by campus. Students should consult their home law school’s externship or academic affairs office for school-specific requirements.
Step 1: Apply to the UCDC Law Program
Students from all five UC law schools must first apply through the central UCDC Law application. Applications are typically submitted one semester in advance (up to one year before participation). Please review Important Dates for deadlines and home-campus requirements.
Required materials:
• Resume
• Unofficial law school transcript
• Brief statement of interest
Step 2: Apply to Individual Placements
After submitting the UCDC Law application, students work with the UCDC Law Program Director to identify placements aligned with their goals.
• Students apply separately to each placement of interest
• Application requirements vary and often include a tailored cover letter explaining participation in the full-time UCDC Law Program (approximately 40 hours/week for a full semester)
• Many federal agencies require security clearances; early applications are strongly encouraged
Offers & Final Approval
Students may not accept a placement offer without prior approval.
• Notify the Program Director immediately upon receiving an offer
• Once approved, UCDC Law coordinates with the student’s home law school so the student may register for the externship and seminar
UCDC Law Program Application Timeline
- UCDC Law Application
- Fall Deadline: Encouraged to Apply by April 1
- Spring Deadline: Encouraged to Apply by October 15
- Placement Application: Rolling, after UCDC Law application submission
- Program Dates:
- Fall Start Date – First Tuesday after Labor Day
- Spring Start Date – First Tuesday after MLK Day
Applications are typically submitted one semester in advance, though students may apply up to one year before participation.
Because many federal placements require security clearances, early application is strongly encouraged.
In addition to externships and coursework, the UCDC Law Program emphasizes:
• Building a cross-campus UC law student cohort
• Professional networking in Washington, D.C.
• Engagement with alumni and legal practitioners
• Informal and structured opportunities for mentorship and community-building
UCDC Law Program Director
Nicole Lehtman
Nicole.lehtman@ucdc.edu
PARTNER LAW SCHOOLS
Berkeley Law
Sue Schechter
Field Placement Program Director
sschechter@law.berkeley.edu
(510) 643-7387
UC Law SF
Nira Geevargis
Clinical Professor & Director, Externship Programs
UC Law San Francisco
geevargis@uclawsf.edu | (formerly UC Hastings)
(415) 565-4620
UC Davis School of Law
Shannon Kahn
Director of Externships
smkahn@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-3142
UC Irvine School of Law
Anna Strasburg Davis
Director of Externships and Pro Bono Programs
adavis@law.uci.edu
UCLA School of Law
Anne Sidwell
Director of Extern & Field Placement Programs
sidwell@law.ucla.edu
(310) 206-4945
For campus-specific questions, students should also contact their home law school’s externship or experiential learning office.
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.