This is a one semester program offered for 2-4 credits for the field placement and includes a 2 credit Child Welfare Internship Seminar. The seminar will be a graded course and the field placement will be graded on a pass/fail basis.

Second and third year day students and evening students who have completed three semesters are eligible for the Juvenile Internship Program. Students enrolled in the Juvenile Internship Program will have a unique opportunity to work within government and non-profit organizations to promote child welfare. The dual requirements of a weekly seminar and a field placement through this Program will give students insight into a legal career focused on protecting the most vulnerable members of our society –our children. Students will be expected to complete the two credit weekly course Child Welfare Internship Seminar as well as an internship placement to complete the requirements of the Juvenile Internship Program.The seminar will include discussions on legal topics of juvenile justice, child abuse and neglect, and ethical issues. In addition, the seminar will include class discussion of placement experiences as well as guest speakers in the area of juvenile justice and child welfare. Course requirements will include a weekly journal of placement experiences, supervision with Attorney Sawicki, four in-class advocacy skill exercises as well as a short paper.

Students will be placed in a variety of field placements that are child welfare based. The internships may include, but not limited to, placements in the Juvenile Units and Child Abuse Prosecution Units of District Attorneys Offices, Department of Children and Families Legal Offices, Juvenile Court Judge's Chambers and non-profit children's advocacy organizations. The field placements available will require a commitment of either one or two full working days (2-4 credits). Some of the placements but not all will require S.J.C. Rule 3:03 authorization. All students in placements will be assigned an on-site attorney supervisor from the placement agency.

Applications are now available on-line as well as in the Internship Office-Suite 165. Placements available for Fall 2012 are listed on-line and also there is a detailed list available in the Internship Office which details requirements for each placement site.

Students should complete an application to Attorney Sawicki detailing their top three placement preferences. Every effort will be made to place students in one of their first three field placement preferences but this is not guaranteed. Please note that some field placements may require a personal interview, writing sample and background check.

Please contact Attorney Sawicki at msawicki@suffolk.edu or at 617-305-3080 or drop by the Internship Office to discuss your application in detail.Only after your placement is finalized will you be allowed to register for the 2 credit Child Welfare Seminar. The Child Welfare Seminar will be held on Tuesdays from 4-5:50 in the Fall 2012 semester.