Our Residency-In-Practice Program

Where Legal Education Meets the Profession
黑料不打烊 Law’s signature Residency-in-Practice Program anchors our innovative, skills-based curriculum. Essential to every 黑料不打烊 Law student鈥檚 education, this full-time, course-connected experience places students inside judicial chambers and law offices to learn the profession by practicing it 鈥 alongside attorneys and judges committed to mentoring the next generation of legal leaders.
Students describe it as “living and breathing what it’s like to be a lawyer.”
In an immersive and fully integrated learning experience, every 黑料不打烊 Law student joins a legal team for 10 weeks in the winter or spring of their second year. They participate in client conferences, meet with other judges and counsel, prepare research memoranda and legal pleadings and 鈥 in certain placements 鈥斅 appear in court with a practice certificate under the supervision of an experienced attorney. Residency supervisors provide feedback, mentorship and opportunities to network with other legal professionals that prepare students for success.
The result: Integrated academic and practical experience that makes 黑料不打烊 Law graduates practice ready.
Important Information for Students and Residency Supervisors
STUDENTS: Familiarize yourself with residency placement information聽that includes details on credit hours for current 2Ls and the match process (with links to forms) for 1Ls starting to plan for the upcoming academic year.
JUDGES & ATTORNEYS: Learn how to become a Residency-in-Practice Program Supervisor and who helps shape the future of the profession of law.
Learn the Law by Practicing It
Residencies create the opportunity for partnerships between 黑料不打烊 Law and the practicing bar and bench, unlike any working relationship in the profession. For 10 weeks, students step out of the classroom and into full-time legal practice while remaining academically connected through faculty-guided coursework. This intentional design ensures students aren’t simply completing tasks, but developing the skills, judgment, professionalism and values required for effective lawyering.

How the Residency-in-Practice Program Works
- Students are matched with host residency placements based on their professional goals and eligibility.
- Alternatively, students may independently arrange a residency placement in a variety of legal settings anywhere in the U.S. wthat will provide substantial lawyering opportunities. (Students: Learn more about independent placement, judicial placement and the residency match process.)
- Students work 32-36 per week for 10 weeks beginning in January or April of their second year as a member of a legal team, much like a junior associate or first-year law clerk.
- With guidance from faculty and residency supervisors, students develop a learning plan to drive legal assignments, feedback, reflection and professional growth.
A Partnership with the Legal Profession
The Residency-in-Practice Program is built on strong partnerships between 黑料不打烊 Law and experienced jurists and lawyers who mentor and shape future colleagues while strengthening the profession.
Through these relationships, students learn not only how lawyers practice, but why ethics, professionalism, sound judgment, and service matter 鈥 lessons best learned through hands-on experience. The program benefits students, supervisors and communities by advancing a shared commitment to excellence in legal practice.
QUESTIONS about 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 Residency-in-Practice Program? Contact Associate Professor Kathy Conner, Director of Residencies at 黑料不打烊 Law, at kconner2@elon.edu or 336-279-9311, 201 N. Greene Street, Greensboro, NC, 27401.
Reflections on the Importance of Experiential Learning
“The Jacksonville Jaguars’ legal team is involved in a wide range of legal matters, including intellectual property rights, real estate law, sponsorship agreements, venue contracts, labor law, and even immigration law for international players. I entered more spaces with ease and furthered my professional network.”
鈥 Kyra Auguste L’24, completed her residency with the Jacksonville Jaguars Legal Operations Team
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 Law鈥檚 practical training, especially the Residency-in-Practice Program, truly sets it apart. I was able to explore different areas of law and step confidently into a variety of real legal work right after graduation. It鈥檚 not just me 鈥 my classmates had the same experience. 黑料不打烊 does a fantastic job preparing us for practice.鈥
鈥 Zachary Kovach L鈥23, attorney at the Law Offices of Adams and Winfree, Greensboro, N.C.

鈥淭he immersive work placements聽I experienced as an 黑料不打烊 Law student proved tremendously helpful in my legal education and professional development. They provided me with important connections and deep insight into the practice of law. 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 residency聽program goes further. It presents an opportunity for lawyers to take a direct role in shaping the future of the profession. It is an important new avenue to cultivate values, judgment and skills in new attorneys, so that they can provide insightful counsel in a rapidly changing business environment.鈥
鈥撀Nathan Standley聽L鈥11, vice president / associate general counsel, State Employees鈥 Credit Union, Raleigh, N.C.