My Externship Experiences at Quinnipiac University School of Law

One must learn by doing the thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty, until you try.
- Sophocles

Over the course of the last three years I have had the pleasure of being placed as an Extern at three separate locations: the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, the Antitrust Division of the Connecticut State Attorney General’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office. Each of these placements has afforded me the opportunity to confront real world problems and interact with members of the legal profession in some of the most intense settings. I write today with the hopes of encouraging others to step outside the class and into the world of practical law.

In my placement at the Federal District Court I researched, wrote bench memos, and twice had the opportunity to produce draft opinions under the direction of the Judge and her clerk. At the Attorney General’s office I had the opportunity to participate in the investigation of white collar crime and help prevent companies from taking advantage of the citizens of Connecticut. At the United States Attorney’s Office I assisted in representing various agencies of the Federal Government. Such experiences are only a small subset of those available at Quinnipiac University School of Law; indeed, the externship program also offers placements in corporate, criminal, legislative, family law, mediation, and a host of other areas of practice.

All too often law school students are depicted as individuals with their noses stuck in books; students engaged in philosophic discussions regarding the application of abstract legal principles to hypothetical or antique fact patterns. While such discussions play an indispensable role in the formation of a legal mind, the crucible of practical application provides innumerable benefits which are simply unavailable through a traditional classroom education. I chose to attend Quinnipiac University School of Law for, among other things, the opportunity to learn by stepping out of the classroom and into the court.

Adam Schibley '10