attorney general field placement

Practical Experience Opportunities

College of Law Career & Professional Development

The unique aspect of Belmont College of Law's curriculum is the number of practical experience opportunities afforded to our students for credit.  Through practical experiences, Belmont Law students become proficient in the actual practice of law to help prepare them for employment opportunities.

Practicum Courses

Belmont students are required to take one practicum course each semester. This requirement allows students to put their legal knowledge into practice. Practicum courses are typically smaller classes (20 students or less) to allow students to dive into the practical aspects of law.

Practicum courses can be taken in a variety of legal topics including alternative dispute resolution, appellate practice, business planning, client interviewing, counseling and communication, contract drafting, criminal procedure, entertainment law, estate planning, health law, law office management, medical malpractice, negotiation, pretrial litigation, products liability, real estate transactions and trial advocacy.

Field Placement Program

The Field Placement Program allows students to apply the skills learned in the core curriculum to live client situations. Field placement students may work in a judge’s chambers, governmental agency, public interest organization or for in-house counsel under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney. 

Belmont students have completed field placements with over 130 different organizations including the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Nashville Predators, numerous federal and state judges, and various agencies, such as the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. 

Continuing Field Placements

Belmont College of Law offers continuing field placements at the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office and the Tennessee Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, where each semester students work with these organizations and are exposed to the actual practice of law, while allowing them to apply the skills they have learned in the classroom. The Field Placement Program and Continuing Field Placements are under the direction of Professor Kristi Arth, who serves as the Director of Field Placements.