Practicum: Judicial

4 Credit Hours

The goal of this Practicum is to provide students with a solid understanding of the courts and various aspects of judicial decision-making. Students work a minimum of 180 hours over the summer in approved externships for federal judges and select state court judges in the Chicago area. Working under the close supervision of the judges and their law clerks, students conduct legal research and draft memoranda and opinions. Students also observe a variety of court proceedings. Students participate in a weekly seminar to discuss their observations and various readings relating to the judiciary. Seminar topics may include: opinion drafting, judicial selection, judicial ethics, the role of ideology in decision-making, technology in the courtroom, and discretion in sentencing. Students maintain reflective journals about their field placement experiences, class discussions and readings, and weekly assigned topics. Students also make a substantive presentation to the class on a topic approved by the Professor that relates to the judiciary. The externship must start no later than the first week of June and last for a minimum of six weeks contemporaneous with the seminar, but ideally eight weeks or longer. Students must be doing legal work, including legal research and drafting. The class will begin in late May and meet weekly through the end of July. Students must get the Professor's permission to enroll in the class once they have accepted a judicial externship that meets the requirements identified above. Students may not receive payment from any source for the externship. Students may take the Judicial Practicum only once. Students are graded on the journal, final presentation, class participation, and successful completion of the externship. Class materials: Course materials will be provided on Canvas.