Internships are a great way for students to explore areas of interest and learn the legal language from those working within the law. Not only do internships give students a close-up view of how legal professionals work, but they also provide a platform for developing lasting professional relationships with lawyers, judges and other people who work in the legal field.  

Students have the option to receive credit for their internships, or design their own internship that fits their needs without the confines of the school calendar and schedule.  Students who want to intern for school credit can earn anywhere from five to fifteen credits for their time interning. A typical five-credit internship requires the student to spend ten hours a week at their internship location.  Students interested in getting credit for an internship can make an appointment with Legal Pathways and we can put together a plan to submit when registering for classes.  Because this counts as a class, students should secure an internship and fill out the necessary paperwork at least a quarter prior to the quarter they hope to intern.  

Internships are a great way to build your resume, network, learn, and strengthen ties to the community.  

For Agencies and Firms Interested in Hosting Interns:

Site Supervisors for Internships are asked to commit to the following responsibilities:

  • Meet with intern, provide orientation to work site culture and expectations, and communicate to intern all applicable policies or 
    procedures the intern is expected to follow.
  • Follow the Fair Labor Standards Act for internships (www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm). Provide a safe and 
    professional environment for interns, and inform interns of their rights and resources regarding sexual harassment and other anti-discrimination 
    policies on site.
  • Assign appropriate work projects that complement the intern’s learning objectives.
  • Familiarize yourself with your intern’s academic project, and if relevant, provide assistance. Periodically mentor the intern and provide career 
    guidance.
  • Provide a written evaluation of intern and internship experience at the end of the internship.

Volunteering to host an intern is a rewarding experience and an important way to help widen the pathway to law school and legal careers for UW Tacoma students. If you are interested in volunteering, please tell us a little bit about yourself and someone will be in touch soon!

For Students Interns:

An internship can be an important part of the process of deciding whether a law school or a law-related career is right for you. Legal professionals with the Legal Pathways Internship program are active members of the South Sound legal community and we encourage students to take advantage of the opportunity to connect with them!