Legal Externships

College of Law

 

A legal externship is a great way to gain practical legal experience while in law school and earn course credit at the same time. The University of Wyoming College of Law has a robust externship program with many opportunities available. Ashli Tomisich, Director of Career Services, serves as the Externship Supervisor for the program. Please contact her or Tim Crawford with any questions you might have. Many students have said this is one of the best experiences they have in law school. The opportunity to apply your legal knowledge to 'real-world' practice is invaluable to your legal education!

Externship Process:

• Standard Practice: Student should complete the online form found on the student page below for the respective semester they are applying, indicating
  • 1) their 3 preferred placements (the school will place the student in order of preference and employer selection after the deadline);
  • 2) the student has placed themselves (see next bullet), or
  • 3) the student is submitting a new employer outside of the approved placement list.
• Independent Placement: A student may contact an employer directly seeking information about the externship or to ask if the employer will accept them earlier than the school's set deadline.  Employers may choose to 
  
  • 1) not select the student, or any extern,
  • 2) accept the extern, or
  • 3) indicate they will consider all applications after the school's deadline.
• New Placement: If a student secures a position with an organization not on the school’s pre-approved externship list, they may have the supervisor complete the ‘Field Supervisor Application Form’ found through the employer page below for consideration of credit.  Note: All new placements must be approved no later than 30 days before the start of the term you wish to take the externship, short of an exemption from the faculty director.

Student Application

There is a simple application process for externships. Prior to the deadline, complete the online form below for the semester you are applying.  Please also supply any supplemental materials noted in the externship description found through the placement lists (https://www.uwyo.edu/law/experiential/legal-externships/placement.html). 

• Spring 2024 Application, Forthcoming (Deadline for school placement is first Friday in November)
• Summer 2023 Application (Deadline for school placement is first Friday in April)
• Fall 2023 Application, Forthcoming (Deadline for school placement is first Friday in July)
• Placement begins immediately after the deadline.  You will be contacted when you are placed.  If you have not heard from the externship office one month after the deadline, please reach out for an update!
• You may still submit an application after the deadline, if you have pre-placed yourself.

 The Externship Information Session was held on 2/17/22, review the slides here!

Faculty Director: Ashli Tomisich

Ashli has been with the University of Wyoming since 2016 and is an alumnus of the College of Law. During law school she was the Student Director of the Domestic Violence Assistance Program and continues to have a strong passion for experiential learning opportunities. She practiced law as a medial malpractice attorney in Cheyenne prior to joining the College of Law administration. She brings a diverse and dynamic perspective, coupled with a strong drive towards advocating for students and providing insight to employers.

In addition to her role in Career Services, Ashli also serves as the Director of Board of Advocates and the Faculty Director for the UW Law Externship program.

Ashli is pursuing her PhD in Higher Education Administration. Her research focuses on leadership, experiential learning and initiating transformative change within educational institutions.

Ashli lives in Laramie with her husband Aaron, who is also an attorney, where they are raising their family of boys. Ashli is a Wyoming native, and deeply proud of her mountain west heritage.