The Mentor Externship Program is a required program that helps students develop their professional skills and identity as they move from student to lawyer. It is considered the national leader in law school mentor programs and has been featured at national conferences and in national publications. The comprehensive nature of the program contributed to our our #1 ranking by National Jurist for externship placements.. The Mentor Externship Program has three primary objectives:

• To instill in students a better understanding of the responsibilities of being a professional;
• To provide students with both an experiential window through which to view the professional world and exposure to the diverse spectrum of work that lawyers and judges do;
• To create an intergenerational conversation about the practice of law and the profession.

500 attorneys and judges volunteer each year to mentor our students. In 2009-10, 39% of our mentors are women-- a higher percentage then women in the profession overall. There are 49 judges in the program from every level of the judiciary.  Our mentors represent 123 practice areas and a variety of practice settings allowing our students the chance to see virtually any type of practice.

Mentors are assigned over the summer and students will learn the name of their mentor at Mentor Externship orientation during the first week of school. To begin the process, you will be asked to complete and return a First-Year Mentor Assignment Form. Some students secure their mentor on their own, outside of the program. If you do this, you will be required to complete a Student Choice of Mentor Form. These forms will be available in early June. 

The mentor externship offers you the chance to build professional relationships to last a lifetime.

If you have questions regarding the forms or any aspect of the Mentor Externship Program, please contact Judie Rush, Director of Mentor Externship at rush5391@stthomas.edu or 651-962-4898.