SEC Externship

Cheryl C. Nichols, Associate Professor and SEC Externship Coordinator
Bruce Sanders, Adjunct Professor

Who can apply? Rising 2Ls and 3Ls

Application Process: Contact Professor Bruce Sanders to apply.

Placement Process: Students secure their own placements prior to applying. Students must apply for and be accepted into the SEC’s Student Honors Program.
Prerequisite Course(s): None

Is the program year-long or semester-long? Semester-long (Fall or Spring only)
How many credits? 4

The SEC Externship provides an exceptional opportunity for students to work as interns in the Washington, DC headquarters of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Students will also attend weekly classes taught by Professor Cheryl C. Nichols or Adjunct Professor Bruce Sanders, both experts in securities law, securities regulation and related areas.

Students accepted into the program are placed in the SEC’s Student Honors Program where students are assigned to work in one of the Divisions and Offices of the SEC.

Students gain valuable insights into the inner workings of the SEC, the various securities laws and regulations administered by the SEC, as well as the financial markets.

Students have the opportunity to work on investigations of securities industry participants, securities issuer practices, administrative and civil enforcement actions, drafting of proposed rules, analyzing international securities regulations, and corporation finance, investment company issues, and broker-dealer regulatory matters. Students also review periodic reports of publicly traded companies, as well as securities registration statements and prospectuses of companies that sell securities to public investors.

Students work closely under the supervision and guidance of SEC staff lawyers, who also provide mentoring for students. Students attend educational seminars at the SEC led by senior Commission staff and prominent members of the securities bar and industry.

Students are required to work approximately fifteen hours per week at the SEC for ten weeks.

Students must attend and participate in weekly seventy-five minute seminars taught by the professor during the semester. The weekly seminars provide an overview of the mission and operations of the SEC, the workings of the financial markets, the Federal Securities Laws and Regulations, ethics in securities law practice, development of lawyering skills, and career opportunities for securities lawyers.

Students are evaluated based on their performance at SEC, active participation in classroom seminars, quality of required weekly journals and final paper, and their performance on other assignments assigned by the professor.

For more information about the SEC Externship Program, please contact Professor Sanders.