Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program
Overview
Students in the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement gain significant courtroom experience working side by side with prosecutors in federal, state and local offices in virtually all phases of the criminal justice process.
In addition to appearing regularly in court on behalf of the prosecution, interns work closely with law enforcement agencies in developing a case. Interns may also prepare and file district court documents and appellate briefs.
The Criminal Prosecution Field Placement is one of KU Law's oldest hands-on learning opportunities. It is also one of the few field placement programs in the nation that specializes in criminal prosecution.
Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Resources
The Criminal Prosecution Field Placement is open to third-year law students during the academic year for both the fall and spring semesters. Students may also enroll in the summer program, in which second- and third-year students may be considered for placement.
Course description and requirements - Criminal Prosecution Field Placement (.pdf)
Glenn Jewell is the director of bar preparation and the director of the Field Placement Program, including the 6th Semester in D.C. Program, at KU Law. He also teaches the Extended Bar Preparation and Employment Law classes at the law school. Prior to joining the law school, Jewell was in private practice on Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, focusing primarily on employment law, civil litigation, and general corporate matters. He also practiced employment law in Kansas City for four years.
Student Testimonial: 'It reinforced that I want to be a criminal prosecutor'
Logan Quackenbush, L'25
During her time as a legal intern for the Shawnee County District Attorney's Office, third-year KU Law student Logan Quackenbush put the skills she learned from her professors in Green Hall to real-world use.
Quackenbush participated in the internship as part of the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program at the University of Kansas School of Law in the summer of 2024.
“Having the opportunity to do this and to work with such wonderful people who not only cared about their jobs, but their community and the next generation of attorneys really was phenomenal to me,” she said. “It reinforced that I want to be a criminal prosecutor and that I wanted to be like these people who care about their community.”
Quackenbush shared her experience with the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement for a Q&A.
What type of work did you do through the field placement?
I worked with the deputy attorney who heads the misdemeanor department with the Shawnee County District Attorney. It was all hands-on work. I wrote plea offers, learned how to write journal entries, prepped motions—motions to revoke diversion and competency motions—and got to speak on the record.
I’ve had opportunities to go see Child in Need of Care (CINC), watched felony and juvenile trials, and have helped with the extra work attorneys have. The attorneys also took time to teach me about their department. I knew I wanted to be a prosecutor, but prosecutors do a wide variety of things. So, it was nice when the attorneys would tell me all about what they do and how they work with the statutes for that specific area of law.
My supervising attorney, and the mentor who showed me what a caring prosecutor looks like in action, was Deputy District Attorney Jason McIlrath. He is the head of the intern program, and I credit my success to him.
The skills my professors have taught me were applied in my field placement. Going to school, I haven't seen them being applied. So, I was finally applying all the skills I was taught and that was a big relief.
My favorite thing was that I got to argue sentencing for a really serious crime, and the judge ended up ruling in the state's favor. That was exciting for me because it felt like a win, and that I was helping the community improve.
Questions?
Glenn Jewell
Director, Field Placement Program
Director, 6th Semester in D.C. Program
Director of Bar Preparation
gjewell@ku.edu