The Shifting Tide of Paid Externships

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Session Type: Concurrent Sessions

Session Capacity: N/A

Location: Marriott St. Louis Grand

Room: Majestic D

Floor: Second Floor, Conference Plaza

Since the ABA began allowing externship pay in 2016, the number of law schools allowing financial compensation for credited externships has risen significantly, with a majority of institutions now allowing pay. This session will explore national trends on the issue of pay, which remains controversial among clinical faculty and the legal academy as a whole. The presenters will share data collected from the CLEA 2023 Paid Externship Survey Report and provide a comparative analysis of the 2018 and 2020 surveys. In addition to the CLEA surveys, both presenters are conducting research studies on the effects of allowing pay at their own institutions and will share data related to the impact of pay on student engagement and outcomes. After sharing the data and trends, we will open up the session for a discussion on the future of paid externships and what’s on the horizon.