Government Lawyering Externship

Students in this externship are assigned to work in either the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri (in downtown St. Louis) or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois (in Fairview Heights). Students may express a preference within each office to work in the Criminal Division, the Civil Division, or a combination of both.

For students in the Criminal Division, the course provides an opportunity to gain exposure to all facets of federal criminal prosecution, including victim/witness interviews, agent meetings, drafting of charges, discovery, motion practice, and trial and appellate work.

Students in the Civil Division assist with a range of activities, including witness interviews, drafting of pleadings and discovery requests, document analysis, motion practice, and depositions and, like their counterparts in the Criminal Division, also do appellate work.

In both divisions, students are encouraged to attend court proceedings handled by lawyers from the office and assist with legal research and writing.