Students in clinics represent clients during the preparation, trial and appeal of cases in litigation or in law-related transactions and projects. Each clinic consists of a classroom component and a casework component. Student work is closely supervised by the clinical faculty. All clinics are graded on a pass/fail basis, and there is no final paper or examination. Students enrolled in clinics must pay a $100 fee for the skills portion of the clinic. All clinics require an application (avaliable in the Student Affairs Office). Students should consult the on-line course descriptions for full information about each course.
For more information contact Eden Harrington, Director of Clinical Programs, eharrington@law.utexas.edu, 232-7068.
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Taught by William P. Allison, Marjorie Bachman, E.G. "Gerry" Morris, and David A. Sheppard
Students screen and investigate claims by inmates that they are actually innocent of the offenses for which they are incarcerated. The clinic meets weekly to analyze topics in actual innocence law and procedure and to discuss clinic cases. Clinic students interview witnesses, research cases, review trial transcripts, and visit clients in prison while investigating a case. The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Maurie Levin, Robert C. Owen, and Jim Marcus
Students assist in the representation of indigent defendants charged with or convicted of capital offenses. Students work on cases at the trial, appellate, and post conviction stages. Students are required to take concurrently, or to have taken previously, the 2-credit Capital Punishment Course. A background in Texas and federal constitutional criminal procedure is very helpful, but not required. Students are eligible to enroll in the clinic and the course after completing two semesters.
Full Course Description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Charles Childress, John Sampson, and Leslie Strauch
Students represent children in Travis County District Court as student attorneys ad litem in cases in which the state seeks custody or termination of parental rights based on allegations of abuse and neglect. Although the supervising attorneys sign all pleadings drafted by the student and accompany the student at hearings, depositions, and trial appearances, the student attorneys sit "first chair" at hearings and depositions and are expected to research and prepare cases as the primary attorneys. Students must have completed 43 credit hours prior to enrollment.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Heather Way and Frances Leos-Martinez
Clinic students will represent nonprofit organizations and individuals involved in community development. Students will provide business law services needed to promote sustainable economic development in low-income communities including job creation, affordable housing, and asset building strategies. Typical matters handled in the clinic will involve real estate, tax, contract, and corporate law issues. This clinic is a partnership between the Law School and Texas Community Building With Attorney Resources (Texas C-BAR), a project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
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Taught by William P. Allison, Patricia Cummings, Kenneth E. Houp, Jr., and Richard Segura
Clinic students represent indigent misdemeanor defendants in Travis County. Typical offenses include DWI, theft, assault, and drug possession. Clinic students function as the "first chair" attorneys, with the supervising attorneys sitting as "second chair" during court proceedings. Students arrange jail releases, interview clients and witnesses, litigate pretrial issues, negotiate with prosecutors, and try cases to judges and juries. For appeals, students review transcripts, write briefs, and present oral arguments. The clinic typically attracts students interested not only in criminal prosecution and defense, but also in civil litigation. Students must have completed 43 credit hours prior to enrollment.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Jeana L. Lungwitz
Students represent victims of domestic violence with a variety of legal problems including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, consumer, public assistance and procurement of protective orders. Class meetings cover relevant issues such as safety planning, comprehensive intake interviews, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders. Students must have completed 43 credit hours prior to enrollment.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Melinda Taylor
An interdisciplinary group of law students and graduate students work with citizens of low income communities on projects designed to improve environmental quality for those communities. The clinic also works with environmental organizations on issues of state and national importance. Students are responsible for all aspects of client representation, including factual investigation, development of legal strategy, research and writing, oral advocacy, and client communication. The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Fred Fuchs
Students represent low-income families in their housing-related legal problems. Many clients are single parents and many are disabled. Clinic work often involves representing clients in threatened evictions and in denials of public housing, subsidized housing and Section 8 housing. Some opportunity also exists for real estate related work. Students interview clients, investigate cases, research issues, negotiate with opposing parties, draft pleadings and discovery, and represent clients in administrative hearings and in court. Actual court representation may be limited due to students successfully setting their cases. The clinic is based at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. Students must have completed 43 credit hours prior to enrollment.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Barbara Hines and Denise Gilman
Students represent low-income immigrants before the immigration courts and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including bond and deportation hearings, asylum applications, Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA) cases and applications for discretionary relief. Students interview clients, develop case strategy, prepare witnesses, and present cases before the court and the agency. Preference is given to students who have taken an immigration law course or who have other immigration or public interest experience. Fluency in Spanish is preferred but not required. The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Pamela Jackson Sigman
Students in this clinic serve as student attorneys with the Travis County Juvenile Public Defender. Clients are indigent juveniles charged with criminal offenses ranging from Class B misdemeanors to first degree felonies. Students are assigned cases for which they have primary responsibility under the supervision of an attorney in the public defender's office. Students perform all investigation, interviews, discovery, plea bargain and litigation functions on their cases. Recommended background classes include criminal law and criminal procedure. Students must have completed 43 credit hours prior to enrollment.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Cynthia Bryant
Students mediate cases in the Justice of the Peace courts in Travis and surrounding counties, gaining practical experience in the mediation process. The clinic enables students to develop and refine the skills necessary for mediation, and for problem solving generally. Students must have taken the Mediation course in the Law School or another course leading to certification as a mediator before enrolling in this clinic. The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Michael J. Churgin
Students represent persons facing commitment to a mental hospital. Class discussion focuses on the Texas Mental Health Code and applicable case law. There are also exercises concerning examination of witnesses, oral argument, brief writing, and other aspects of litigation. There is a short introductory period during which students observe court proceedings at the state hospital. Students also view videotapes concerning psychiatric diagnosis. Students begin handling cases in February. In addition to representation at probable cause and commitment hearings, students might also have the opportunity to pursue a case on appeal. Completion of the basic evidence course is a prerequisite. Students must have completed 43 credit hours prior to enrollment.
Full course description | Clinic web site
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Taught by Kristine Huskey, Derek Jinks, and Elizabeth Hardy
The National Security and Human Rights Clinic offers students the opportunity to work directly on issues relating to the very contemporary and controversial "War on Terror." In this unique clinic, students will work closely on a variety of cases and projects including: the direct representation of individuals detained at the US military base on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the preparation of appellate briefs challenging the legality of the Detainee Treatment Act and the Military Commissions Act; assistance to the direct representation of "enemy combatants" charged under the Military Commissions Act; and the preparation of briefs and other documents, such as amicus curiae briefs, in "war on terror" related case. As a prerequisite to enrolling in the Clinic, students are required to take concurrently, or to have taken previously, the Rule of Law in Wartime course. First-semester second-year students are welcome to enroll.
Permission of the instructors is required to register.
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Taught by Michael Sturley
Students in this new clinic will work on cases before the United States Supreme Court. Students will assist in representing actual clients who are seeking review of lower court decisions or who have cases before the Supreme Court following grants of certiorari. Students will do in-depth research and writing for pleadings such as petitions for certiorari, briefs in opposition, reply briefs, and merits briefs. The clinic will include a classroom component to introduce students to Supreme Court procedures and practice. The clinic is open to all students who have completed their first two semesters.
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Taught by Bill Beardall
Students represent low-income immigrant workers in cases to recover unpaid wages, and also engage in other advocacy projects asserting the rights of workers here and abroad. Students may participate in worker education meetings, interview clients, investigate cases, develop strategy, negotiate with opposing parties, research issues, prepare legal documents, and represent clients in administrative actions and in litigation. Students help their clients acquire the knowledge and skills to protect their own employment rights while grounding their representation efforts in the broader context of transnational and international labor rights advocacy. The clinic is based at the Central Texas Immigrant Worker Rights Center, a project of the Equal Justice Center (EJC). While there are no prerequisites, students will benefit from previous exposure to employment law, immigration law, international law, human rights law, low-wage workers, migrant workers or immigrant communities, or experience with Latin American communities. Spanish fluency is preferred, but not required. The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.