Internship Requirement

LSJ 401 Internship Policies

Only declared LSJ majors may enroll in LSJ 401.

Students must enroll in LSJ 401 either in the same quarter as the completion of the internship or a maximum of one quarter after completion of the internship. The LSJ Adviser must give approval for non-current enrollment prior to the beginning of the internship. Retroactive credit is not granted for internships completed either prior to being an LSJ major or more than a quarter before completion of LSJ 401.

The LSJ 401 internship site does not have to be in the Greater Seattle Area. See the LSJ Adviser to make arrangements for an out-of-state internship or an internship abroad.

The LSJ 401 internship can be paid or unpaid.

All internships must receive approval from the LSJ Adviser prior to enrollment in LSJ 401.

Students will only be enrolled in LSJ 401 after the Adviser has received all required paperwork.

Some LSJ majors may want to use hours accrued to meet an internship requirement in another major/minor toward the LSJ 401 internship requirement. This is allowable, but only under specific circumstances. Contact the LSJ Adviser for full details of this policy.

Learning Goals

The Law, Societies & Justice internship program seeks to create a connection between academic coursework and ‘real world’ experience. The objectives of the internship are to:

Provide students with insights into the workings of law in practice;

Scrutinize and ‘test’ some of the theories and concepts found in the academic literature against ‘real world’ practice;

Initiate career development and goals, and

Provide 100 hours of local community service.

Students work with a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies, including law enforcement agencies, social service organizations, courts, rights groups, policy organizations, and social support groups.

Internship Placement Process

1. Determine the quarter in which you will complete your internship. Begin goal setting and planning for your internship a minimum of 2 quarters in advance.

2. Think about the goals you want to accomplish through your internship. What skills and experiences do you want to gain? What LSJ-related topics do you want to explore in a professional setting? What type of an environment do you want to work in?

3. Use the resources on this webpage, the LSJ Adviser, your LSJ peers, LSJ alumni, and your own professional network to research potential internship locations that match your goals. Start by looking for organizations that match your interests, not just places that have internship postings. Some organizations are very willing to create an internship if they don’t have one posted. Generate a list of 5-10 locations you are interested in.

4. Set up an advising appointment to discuss your internship goals and the sites you are considering. The LSJ Advisers can provide you with direct contact information and application instructions for locations you are considering that LSJ students have interned with in the past.

5. Apply to posted internships and reach out to locations that interest you but do not have posted positions.

6. Email or meet with the LSJ Advisers for final approval of your selected internship site before accepting an offer.

7. Finalize your schedule and position description with your internship site.

8. Turn in the LSJ 401 Contract Form and Internship Supervisor Letter. The paperwork deadline is the first day of the quarter in which you plan to enroll in LSJ 401. The LSJ 401 Contract Form specifies what needs to be included in the Internship Supervisor Letter.

9. The LSJ Advisers will enroll you in LSJ 401.

10. Complete all LSJ 401 course requirements to receive credit.

LSJ Internship Contract

Students are required to complete 100 hours of service in an internship or volunteer position for the LSJ 401 course. In addition to these hours worked in the field, students are expected to complete an analytical paper, submit evaluations, and attend all LSJ 401 course meetings as part of the course requirements.

LSJ 401 Internship Contract Form located here.

LSJ 401 Course Requirements

Complete a minimum of 100 hours of service at the internship site
Complete the 10-12 page analytical paper following LSJ 401 syllabus instructions
Attend weekly LSJ 401 class sessions and complete periodic short assignments
Participate actively in career development exercises during class
Turn in the Student Evaluation Form
Turn in the Site Supervisor Evaluation Form

Recent LSJ 401 Internship Placements

This list is only a starting point; your internship site does not have to be on this list. Think as broadly as possible by considering all the various topics faculty have covered in LSJ classes. If you can see yourself writing a paper that ties together things you discussed in class with any organization you are considering, then it might work for LSJ 401. Feel free to email the LSJ adviser if you are unsure about whether or not a certain possibility will work for LSJ 401.

Note about Interning at Private Law Firms:

Students wishing to intern with private law firms are encouraged to do so for experience, connections, and to understand the daily practice of lawyers. However, private law firms are often seeking interns who have finished the first year or two of law school. Therefore, as an undergraduate student, you should make sure that you will be able to actually participate in an experience that will not be limited to basic clerical duties like: filing, answering phones, running for coffee, and making copies. Remember that you are looking for an experience that you can analyze at an academic level and put into conversation with the ideas explored in your LSJ classes.

Note about Background Checks:

Many internships–especially those with police departments, detention centers, and prisons–will require background checks. Some background checks are simple and some require months to complete. Plan accordingly.

Internship Resources

In addition to speaking with the LSJ Adviser, LSJ alumni, and LSJ Peers, these search engines can be helpful places to look. Remember that the best approach is to start by locating specific locations that interest you rather than immediately searching for posted internship openings.

United Way of King County (http://www.uwkc.org)

VolunteerMatch (http://www.volunteermatch.org)

Idealist (http://www.idealist.org)

UW Career Center’s HuskyJobs (http://careers.washington.edu/HuskyJobs)

UW Carlson Center’s Public Service Opportunity Bulletin (https://www.washington.edu/cms/carlson/service-opportunities/)

Looksharp (InternMatch) (http://www.looksharp.com/)

USA.gov list of agencies (http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml)