The Clinical Law Program permits students who have completed one-half of their legal education to assist in the practice of law in a law school clinic under the supervision of a member of the bar.

The Clinical Law Program affords students the opportunity to begin the transition from law school to law practice; from learning to be a lawyer to being a lawyer. Students practice law under the close and supportive supervision of a member of the faculty, adjunct faculty, legal service office or Bar Association. The practice in the clinic includes civil, criminal law, domestic, administrative or real property matters and may include appearances with their supervision before courts, administrative agencies, legislatures and other officials. Students will be counselors, negotiators, advocates and problem solvers for their clients.

Students are required to meet regularly with the supervising attorneys to review the work that has been done and to plan the strategy to accomplish the client’s purposes. In the classroom component, the clinical course students learn the substantive and procedural law they must know to practice in the area of their special concentration and they study the tasks of lawyering. In this setting students explore the theory, practice and ethics of interviewing, counseling, advocating and the full range of lawyer tasks in which they are engaged. Through this personal experience, supervision and courseware, students have the opportunity to think reflectively about the legal profession, about their work as lawyers and about the role of lawyers in a just society.