Course | Columbia Law School

The Federal Prosecution Externship offers students the opportunity to work one-on-one with experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Eastern District of New York as they investigate and prosecute violations of federal criminal law. Each student will be assigned to work directly with an experienced Assistant U.S. Attorney in one of the Office's five senior prosecutorial sections: the Business and Securities Fraud Section, Narcotics Section, Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, Public Integrity Section, and Violent Crimes and Terrorism Section. Students will be expected to work 12-15 hours per week for 14 weeks (one semester) at the U.S. Attorney's Office in downtown Brooklyn. Students will have the opportunity to take part in all aspects of their supervising AUSA's criminal caseload, from investigation to sentencing and post-conviction appeal, and should also expect to do substantial research and writing. Under the local rules of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, law students will be permitted to conduct court appearances, such as arraignments, guilty plea proceedings, sentencings, hearings, and trials.

A weekly seminar will examine the role of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in each phase of the federal criminal justice system, including investigations, arrests, arraignments, pretrial suppression hearings, plea negotiations, and sentencing. In addition, students will participate in practicums that build upon their experiences working on actual federal criminal matters, including a mock arraignment and moot oral argument on a suppression motion.

This course is limited to Columbia Law School students who are U.S. citizens.