Field Placement Program


Overview

The Field Placement Program provides students an opportunity to perform legal work under the supervision of a practicing attorney at approved governmental agencies, as well as nonprofit legal services organizations and nonprofit public national and international organizations.

Students enrolled in the Field Placement Program work a specified number of hours per week under the supervision of a practicing attorney, complete a goals memorandum, maintain weekly journals of their experience, attend required class sessions, participate in online discussions, and write a final reflective paper.

Past field placements include: the United Nations, JAG Corps, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Kansas Attorney General’s Office, EPA, Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, ACLU of Kansas, Spencer Museum of Art, the Kansas Department of Revenue, and many more.

Field Placement Program Resources

Field Placement Program Application

To apply, submit a completed Field Placement Application form and supporting documentation by email to Glenn Jewell at gjewell@ku.edu and to Janette Roundy at janetteroundy@ku.edu. It will be reviewed and you will be notified whether you have been accepted into the program.

Students must attend both a mandatory orientation class and a mandatory Professionalism in Practice class. Students who do not attend will not receive credit through the Field Placement Program. Students should plan the start dates of their field placement accordingly.

Field Placement Program Forms

Field Placement Application (.pdf)

Field Placement Requirements (.pdf)

Supervising Attorney, Student and Director Agreement (.pdf)

Supervision Manual for Field Placement Supervisors (.pdf)

Supervisor Evaluation Form (.pdf)

Admission to the Field Placement Program

In order to enroll in the Field Placement Program and receive credit for a field placement, you must:

  1. Have completed two semesters of law school;
  2. Be in good academic standing;
  3. Have a firm field placement offer that meets the requirements below; and
  4. Apply and be accepted into the Field Placement Program.

Field Placement Ideas

If you are not sure where you want to work or want ideas, make an appointment with Glenn Jewell at gjewell@ku.edu.

Field Placement Program Limits

A student may earn a maximum of six hours of credit toward graduation in Law 894 (the general field placement class). All field placement hours count toward the 16-credit hour limit on field placement and clinic credit hours that may be applied to graduation.

Field Placement Application Process

The Field Placement application is available in the “Apply for the Field Placement Program” accordion. Submit a hard copy of this completed form and supporting documentation to Janette Roundy at janetteroundy@ku.edu.

Field Placement Program Enrollment

Once your application has been reviewed, if admitted, you will be notified of your admission into the program and sent an enrollment code that will enable you to enroll in LAW 894 Field Placement Program.

If you are enrolling for summer, enroll for the first summer session, rather than the second summer session, regardless of which part of the summer you will be working.

Field Placement Program Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester: The Friday before the first week of classes
  • Spring Semester: The Friday before the first week of classes
  • Summer Semester: The Friday before graduation

Field Placement Job Requirements

  1. The field placement must be with a government entity or a nonprofit. Credit is never given for work at a for-profit entity.
  2. You may not have previously worked in that position for pay.
  3. You may not be paid for your field placement work. (This excludes some general stipends.)
  4. You must be directly supervised by a licensed attorney.
  5. Your work must be primarily legal work.

Field Placement Hour Requirement

You are required to work 42.5 hours for each hour of credit earned. Written work required by the classwork component may count toward these hours.

Field Placement Coursework Requirements

In addition to working at your field placement, students are required to:

  1. Complete online coursework;
  2. Attend scheduled classes;
  3. Meet with Glenn Jewell at least once during the semester either in person or by phone; and
  4. Submit a goals memo, keep a weekly reflection journal, and submit a final reflective paper.

Field Placement Orientation

All field placement students are required to attend Field Placement Orientation in person prior to the beginning of their field placements.

Required Professionalism Seminar

Each student is required to attend the Professionalism Seminar. If you have already attended this seminar prior to your work with another field placement or clinic, then you do not need to attend it again.

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.

Full faculty list

Student Testimonial: Aligning coursework with professional interests

Kristen Andrews, L'23

During two semesters working as a legal intern for Kansas Athletics, third-year law student Kristen Andrews learned to think outside the box when answering legal questions.

Kristen AndrewsAndrews completed an externship with KU Athletics through the Field Placement Program at the University of Kansas School of Law. Students in the program work under the supervision of a practicing attorney.

Andrews shared her experience with the Field Placement Program for a Q&A.

What type of work did you do through the Field Placement Program?

I spent my time in the Field Placement Program working as a legal intern at Kansas Athletics. At Kansas Athletics, I completed legal research on a wide range of topics, wrote memoranda and reviewed contracts.

How do you think this experience will impact the rest of your time in law school or the start of your career?

My field placement with Kansas Athletics will impact both my remaining time in law school and the start of my career in numerous ways. For example, it has helped me identify the skills I will need to be an effective practitioner and the classes that will aid my development in those areas. Furthermore, it has helped me explore my areas of interest within the broader sports law field, focus my short and long-term goals, and form meaningful relationships with people who will soon be my professional peers.

Read more about Kristen's experience

 

Questions?

Glenn Jewell
Director, Field Placement Program
Director, 6th Semester in D.C. Program
Director of Bar Preparation
gjewell@ku.edu