Academic Standards and Related Procedures - LLM

1. Under no circumstances may a student take two clinics for the first time in the same semester. Please refer to Academic Standard I.F. for a definition of a clinic.

2. If a student is enrolled in a subsequent semester of clinic ("Advanced Clinic"), they may only enroll in an externship or another clinic (whether new of advanced) in the same semester with permission from the Director of Curricular Administration.  Permission must be obtained before a student enrolls.  The following criteria will be used to determine whether permission to enroll in both will be granted;
   1. A determination as to whether an actual or potential conflict of interest exists that arises from the student engaging in both clinics and/or the clinic and the externship in the same semester.
   2. Recommendations from the clinical faculty supervisor(s) and/or the externship supervisor to the Director as to whether or not same semester enrollment is appropriate.
   3. Students subject to special academic requirements and rules (Standard V) must first obtain approval from the Dean of Students to pursue this option.

Whenever a student has enrolled in or been chosen for participation in an experiential course and has signified his/her agreement to participate in the course, such student may not drop the course without obtaining the instructor’s permission to drop the course.

Refer to the Externship Program webpage for additional requirements and information.

1. LL.M. students may apply to pursue an LL.M. Degree with an Experiential Component. In this specialized program of study, the successful completion of an externship placement is an immediate (meaning concurrent with school year) requirement, as it is an integral part of the academic program.
2.  LL.M. students may apply to engage in a part-time externship in the offices of a government agency, a non-profit organization, judicial chambers, or with in-house corporate counsel so long as the supervisor has two or more years of experience as a licensed lawyer and is in good standing with the State Bar, and both the supervisor and student are working together on-site at the entity’s place of business. No externships for academic credit at private law firms are permitted.
3. LL.M. students may complete more than one part-time externship in the course of their year in the program, but may receive a cumulative total of no more than five (5) units of P/U/NC credit for satisfactory completion of all part-time externships and may enroll in a maximum of one part-time externship during any semester. LL.M. students may not take a full-time externship.
4. In a 13-week semester, a student must work in the placement 52 hours for each unit of credit awarded. For example, if a student is approved for a 4-unit part-time externship, that student must work a minimum of 208 hours during the semester (approximately 16 hours or two days per week). Students must complete the hours at the placement between the first and last days of instruction. Students must comply with all program requirements and expectations to receive full credit for the externship.
5. Credit is awarded after all program requirements have been fulfilled. Students may not receive academic credit retroactively for previously completed opportunities.
6. Prior to commencing an externship placement, international LL.M. students who hold an F-1 visa must apply for and receive Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization via the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars (DCISS). Refer to the DCISS website for additional requirements and information.