In-House Counsel Externship Program
In Baylor Law School’s In-House Counsel Externship Program, students work under the supervision of an in-house lawyer, observing and learning about the practical skills in-house attorneys use daily. In addition to the work students do for the companies, they also complete a classroom component. The classroom component focuses on substantive issues commonly encountered by in-house counsel in corporate law departments as well as ethical issues and practical skills, such as working with outside counsel, identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest, preserving attorney-client privilege in the in-house context, developing policies and monitoring compliance, and conducting internal investigations.
Participating Companies
Alliance Bank Central Texas • AMD • Atlas Energy Solutions • Baylor Scott & White Health • Baylor University Office of General Counsel • Bimbo Bakeries • Capital Title • Community Bank and Trust • ExtraCo Bank • Magnolia • Neighborly • Nutraceutical Corporation • Tenaska • Texas Association of Realtors • Texas Farm Bureau • Texas Life Insurance Company • Waco Foundation • Waco Ventures (WAVE)
“It truly is a family business. Chip and Joanna are working there every day and are passionate about Waco and their employees,” Madison said. Madison enrolled in the In-House Counsel Externship Program, a weekly class component taught by Lotte Bostick, JD ’88. “As more companies add and rely on in-house legal departments, Baylor Law added the In-House Counsel Externship Course to give students both hands-on and classroom experience related to the in-house practice of law,” said Professor Bostick. “Each student works with an in-house legal department, gaining valuable insight and experience into the practical issues handled by in-house attorneys and facing today’s business,” she continued. Madison initially thought her internship might be focused on the Waco-based real estate side of Magnolia, but quickly learned that when you are dealing with a company that employs hundreds of people, it has expanded into many facets of life, from local Waco restaurants to home décor, every day is a new adventure. “I learned a lot about research, problem-solving, and the internal processes of an entity that operates on a local, national, and now – with a new focus on a television channel – global level. I could see how a company of that size operates on a micro- and macro level while I completed substantive work related to federal, state, and local regulatory compliance, product liability, labor and employment concerns, among many other things,” said Madison. “Since I’ve begun practicing, I have realized that working with Magnolia and the in-class material taught by Professor Bostick and Professor Miller gave me skills to analyze how a client may think and operate. I have a unique perspective on how my clients may approach litigation and transactions that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
