WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE EXTERN PROGRAM

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS UNTIL 10/30/08

FOR SPRING 2009 HANDS-ON LITIGATION EXPERIENCE

            The Wisconsin Department of Justice Extern Program offers law students a unique opportunity next spring to gain hands-on experience in public advocacy and litigation.  Externs practice trial, appellate and administrative law with some of the state's most respected litigators, working on matters of statewide importance.

            DOJ externs work in 7 units in the Wisconsin Department of Justice (for description of the units, see http://www.doj.state.wi.us/site/divs.asp#dls):  Environmental Protection, Consumer Protection, Civil Litigation (which includes civil rights, torts, prisoner rights, medical malpractice, eminent domain, employment and labor law), State Programs and Administration (which includes core governmental issues, tax, property, bankruptcy, open meetings and open records), Medicaid Fraud, Criminal Litigation (which includes criminal prosecution, antitrust and public integrity) and Attorney General’s Office and Administration of Legal Services; in 4 units at the Department of Natural Resources: Water Regulation & Zoning, Air & Waste, Fish/Game & Law Enforcement, and Property/Personnel; and at the Public Service Commission, which regulates 1,100 public utilities that provide electricity, heat, water and telecommunications services in the state. 

            The assistant attorneys general at DOJ are charged under state law with representing the state in all courts, state and federal, trial and appellate, as both plaintiff and defendant.  The DNR and PSC attorneys advise agency staff, appear at administrative hearings, defend agency decisions and develop administrative rules and policies.  Attorneys in both agencies also review legislative proposals, respond to citizen inquiries, provide training, and advise state entities.

            Externs work as partners with attorneys on their cases and related projects.  Assignments include drafting and responding to pleadings, including complaints, answers and motions, drafting trial and appellate court briefs, preparing discovery requests and responses, preparing legal memoranda, analyzing legislative proposals, attending negotiations, settlement meetings and court hearings, participating in agency hearings and moot courts, preparing legal opinions and answering citizen correspondence.  Externs work with assistant attorneys general and agency attorneys, and make contact with client agency officials, citizens, adversaries, legislators and other attorneys.

            Externs enroll for 5 to 7 credits and must commit 15 to 21 hours per week to the program, including a biweekly seminar 8:30-10:30 on Wednesdays.  Grading is pass-fail.

            Students interested in participating in the program in the Spring 2009 semester should submit a resume, transcript and letter of interest to JoAnne Kloppenburg, preferably by e-mail to kloppenburgjf@doj.state.wi.us, or by mail to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Post Office Box 7857, Madison WI 53707-7857, or in person at 17 West Main Street (Risser Justice Center).  All application materials must be received at DOJ no later than October 30, 2008.

            Professor Nina Camic and AAGs Michael Losse and JoAnne Kloppenburg supervise the Extern Program. For more information, please contact Mike (266-7063; lossemj@doj.state.wi.us) or JoAnne (266-9227; kloppenburgjf@doj.state.wi.us) or Nina (263-5623; nlcamic@wisc.edu).

Submitted by UW Law School Newsletter Admin on October 20, 2008

This article appears in the categories: Career Services & Student Job Postings, Student Job Postings