Field Placements

College of Law students may participate in various field placements during their academic study.  Students may earn academic credit in the Judicial Internship Program, the Health Law Externship Program, and the Dublin Study Abroad Internship Program. Students work under the direct supervision of local attorneys and may receive compensation as a Licensed Legal Intern.

After the completion of their first year of law study, students can earn academic credit by serving as a judicial intern for a federal, state or tribal court.  The Judicial Internship Program is a powerful opportunity for students. Students who serve as interns learn first-hand about how the courts function and about how attorneys help or hinder their decision-making process. In the tribal court program, students also draft legislation for the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes. Through their real-world experience, student judicial interns become better prepared to practice law.

Law students may also prepare themselves for the practice of law through their experience as a Licensed Legal Intern. This non-credit program allows students to obtain a limited license to practice law and appear in court pursuant to the Rules of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma on Legal Internship. As a licensed legal intern, students work under the supervision of local attorneys in the public sector, such as the public defender’s office or the prosecutor’s office, or in private practice. Through observation, through performance of legal tasks, through appearances before state courts, student legal interns learn about their professional responsibilities to their clients and the courts.