Semester in DC Program

In the Semester in DC Program, students earn academic credit for working nearly full-time at congressional offices, federal agencies and non-profit legal organizations in Washington, D.C. The program offers externships tailored to a wide range of skill sets – litigation (at the Department of Justice), agency adjudication, legislation, lobbying and rulemaking.

Evening seminars give students the basic tools they need to succeed, and take them around town to learn from lawyers in a variety of government and non-profit organizations.

Students learn career-enhancing skills while building their resumes and enjoying life in our nation’s vibrant capital city.

The agencies students can work in include...

Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Justice
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Department of the Treasury
Environmental Protection Agency
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Human Rights First
Internal Revenue Service
National Health Law Program
National Labor Relations Board
Securities and Exchange Commission
U.S. Senate, Office of Senator Richard Blumenthal

This was the greatest position I have ever had the ability to secure. It was a life-changing experience for me. . . I conducted legal research, wrote memoranda, worked with stakeholders to build consensus, worked with legislative attorneys to help draft bills, and worked with congressional staff to research the legal and policy implications of legislative proposals. . . It was the hardest thing I ever did, from the application process to the actual work, but [it] provided me with a feeling that I could accomplish anything.

– Don Bell '13, Office of Senator Richard Blumenthal

Director of Field Placement and Pro Bono Programs

Rachel Reeves