Washington College of Law

Externships / Internships

The Turkey Summer Law Program works with participating students to enable contacts with Turkish law firms and organizations looking for American law students for summer internships. Whether the student has already arranged an internship from the United States, or will be looking for the internship in during the program, the faculty and staff are more than willing to help. While there is no guarantee in finding an internship, the program has thus far been able to help place every student who has sought a position. Past internships have been both with law firms and with non-profit organizations.

Testimonials:

Chesea Zimmerman, 2012: "Not only was I able to obtain substantive legal experience working at a law firm in Istanbul but I was also able to experience different legal and cultural perspectives, which helped shape my approach to my work both during my summer internship and my subsequent legal studies. Interning in Turkey provided me with an ideal opportunity for understanding the important components of working with international clients and entities in the business world."

Alli Assiter, 2012: "I worked for NSN Law Firms in Istanbul. The work experience I had was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone. I was able to go to court, communicate with clients, and receive hands-on experience. I would highly recommend to any law student to study and work in Turkey."

Jeff List, 2010: "The experience I received from my internship in Istanbul was likely more substantive than any position I would have found in the United States, as they needed the perspective of an American law student. In fact, two of the students who worked internships last summer are returning to internships again this year."

Arcadia Corbett, JD/MBA Seattle University School of Law, class of 2013: "The WCL Turkey program was truly a once in a lifetime experience. First of all, I loved the group of students -- they were so fun to live and travel with during the academic program! The law classes were interesting and worthwhile, but there was still plenty of time each day to take in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Istanbul. The Turkish professors presented a wealth of insight and knowledge, and their varied backgrounds (and accents!) made every day a surprise. (Special mention to Dean Haluk, who was my favorite lecturer! Students are sure to enjoy his hilarious anecdotes and charming demeanor.) The class took two memorable excursions to parts of Turkey outside Istanbul, which taught me so much about historical, modern, and geographical aspects of the country. I also had the great fortune to be set up with an internship opportunity. I spent a month after the academic program working with the Istanbul Kadin Kuruluslari Birligi (IKKB), a women's rights organization based in Istanbul. The experience of working with a network of Turkish attorneys and the additional time spent in the city had me feeling like a local by the time I left. Türkiye istiyorum! (I like Turkey!)"