Practicum Enrollment

In Pepperdine's practicum courses, students work in specialized field placements under supervision of experienced practitioners and with enhanced rigor and focus from expert faculty at either the Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) or the Ventura County Public Defender's Office.

Application Process

Participation in practicums are by application. To apply, interested students should submit a resume, writing sample, and letter of application to express and explain their interest in the work to Professor Baker and the Clinical Program Manager.

Letters of application may be addressed to the appropriate individuals listed below.

Veterans Law Practicum

Ms. Ayala Benefraim
Ventura County Public Defender's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93009

Public Interest Practicum

Mr. Skip Koenig
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
13327 Van Nuys Blvd
Pacoima, CA 91331

Note to Students: 

Students interested in the Public Interest Practicum should indicate their preferred practice area in their letter of application. Practice areas for Fall 2020 include Housing, Disaster Relief, Self-Help, and Clean-Slate Advocacy. 

Note on Clean-Slate Advocacy: The NLSLA education program addresses the destructive impact of the school-to-prison pipeline and the critical need for pro bono legal services in education law throughout the Antelope Valley by offering direct representation and advocacy in special education and school discipline matters. Volunteers with Antelope Valley Online Community Assistance Team (AVOCAT) assist litigants in one-on-one clinics or help with the preparation and completion of legal documents before or after the clinic session, with the support of a supervising attorney.

Course Credit

Selected students will commit to working two full work days, each week of the semester, for four units of academic credit. The students and supervising attorneys will negotiate and confirm their individual schedules within these parameters early in the semester.

The School of Law will also designate faculty to serve as faculty advisors who will meet regularly with students to discuss their work. Faculty advisors will not be privy to confidential client matters but will facilitate guided reflection and discussion of the students' work to accelerate their learning and professional formation through the experience.