Clinics and Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS experience. The Office of Clinical and Experiential Learning offers you the opportunity to apply theory to practice through our clinics, simulation courses, externships, and more.
Lawyering From Day One
In your first year, participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in your foundational Legal Practice course.
As an upper-level student, choose from many experiential learning opportunities offered through NYLS to hone your lawyering skills and build your professional network in the New York City legal community.
Clinics
NYLS’s clinics provide you with opportunities to represent real people and work on current cases. Guided by expert faculty and attorney supervisors, our wide-range of clinics instill professionalism, empathy, and know-how. Immerse yourself in cutting-edge practice areas, including asylum and immigration, civil rights, family law, housing, criminal prosecution and defense, cyberbullying, elder law, intellectual property, juvenile rights, legislative advocacy, mediation, post-conviction remedies, public policy and regulatory advocacy, transactional law, and more.
Simulation Courses
Simulation courses prepare you for working with clients by giving you the opportunity to practice lawyering skills in a controlled environment. Taught by expert faculty, adjuncts in practice, and judges who bring their professional experience into the classroom, our simulation courses help you build lawyering skills through realistic case scenarios, actor simulations, role-play exercises, and mock trials.
Externships and Subject Matter Field Placements
Earn academic credit, build substantive knowledge, and gain practical experience in a supportive real-world setting. As an upper-level student, you can match your interests with one of NYLS's externship or field placement offerings in a variety of practice areas including government, human rights law, financial services law, business law, and more.
Advocacy Program
Develop advocacy, litigation, and negotiation skills by participating in co-curricular competition teams and other experiential learning programs. Gain invaluable experience negotiating and mediating, conducting trials, and arguing cases on appeal while learning about professionalism and ethics in legal practice.
What’s the Difference?
Clinics vs. Externships vs. Simulation Courses
Clinics
- Legal work supervised by a professor
- Co-requisite seminar where you will learn skills and substantive law relevant to the legal work done in your clinic
Externships
-
Legal work supervised by an attorney supervisor
-
Co-requisite seminar where you will learn professionalism skills
Simulation courses
-
Simulated legal work taught by professors
-
Often includes practice of skills with actors, such as negotiating, counseling, and interviewing
Office of Clinical and Experiential Learning • T 212.431.2179 • E ocel@nyls.edu