Course Information

Taught by Susan Klein and Captain Andrew Lane
4 credits (pass/fail) over two terms – Fall (2 credits), Spring (2 credits)
Students must commit to a full academic year of internship study.
Students should expect to spend one day per week at Fort Hood Legal Services in Killeen, TX.
Students must intern in person at their placement; only incidental remote work is permitted.
This program is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

This externship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” externship positions with the United States Army Trial Defense Service, Fort Hood Field Office. This course offers students a two-credit (pass/fail) externship to be completed over the fall 2023 semester and a two-credit (pass/fail) externship to be completed over the spring 2024 semester. While this externship program is not available during either summer session, students are welcome to apply for summer positions directly with that office. Students participating in this program must commit to both long semesters.

Students will assist defense counsels and paralegals in administrative separations and criminal proceedings pursuant to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Fort Hood Legal office is the largest and busiest office in the Army. Attorneys there have federal felony jury trials monthly, similar to those seen in a Federal District Court but often with crimes and facts unique to the military. Army JAG officers regularly change jobs, working as prosecutors, magistrate judges, defense attorneys, national security attorneys, and trial/appellate judges. This creates a level of collegiality and rapport not seen in criminal justice practice elsewhere.

Students may benefit from having completed or being enrolled in an upper-level criminal law course such as Adv. Fed. Crim. Prosecution & Defense, Federal Criminal Law, National Security Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, or Computer Law. None of those courses are required.

The externship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week, though not all hours must be completed at the office. Students should expect to spend one day per week at Fort Hood Trial Defense Service, 330 761st Tank Battalion Ave, Fort Hood, Tx 76544, working in the office or in court. Ft. Hood is located about halfway between Austin and Waco, a bit over an hour’s drive from the law school or about 50 minutes from Georgetown.

The application deadline for the 2023 – 2024 academic year is May 8, 2023.

To apply, please e-mail a copy of your cover letter, resume and transcript (unofficial is fine) to Prof. Klein at sklein@law.utexas.edu and Captain Andrew Lane at andrew.d.lane7.mil@army.mil.

Students interested in the externship are encouraged to stop by Prof. Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 during her office hours, Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. You may call or text her at (512) 203-2257 or send her an email at the above address. Alternatively, you may call Captain Lane at (770) 597-6542 or send him an email at the above address. You can reach the Fort Hood Trial Defense office at (254) 287-0476.

Additional information about the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service, is available at: Trial Defense Service Public (army.mil).