Dena Bauman graduated from Cornell Law School in 1991 and returned in September 2024 to join the faculty as the externship director. She directed the externship program at UC Davis School of Law, growing it to more than 100 students per year. Bauman sees externships as a structured ‘bridge to practice’ class that helps students become independent learners capable of successfully navigating an ever-changing work environment. After graduation, she joined an upstate New York legal services office, representing indigent clients in civil administrative trial court cases. Her practice experiences at the Cornell Legal Aid Clinic were formative in developing her professional identity as an advocate for marginalized communities. In her role as managing attorney at a New York State legal aid office, focusing on pro bono management, Dena relocated to Washington DC to supervise law students at the DC Law Students Court. She has worked in national and regional pro bono management capacities and has served as the career and professional development director and externship director at UDC School of Law. Ms. Bauman has presented at numerous professional conferences and is active in local and national professional organizations. She co-authored an externship chapter in the 2015 publication 'Building Practices' and currently co-chairs the CLEA externship committee for the Planning Committee of the October 2024 Externship Conference.