The Advocacy Clinic

Advocacy Clinic is legal practice live, but with a net. The students are given their own cases and their own clients, and they pursue these cases from client interviews, through the creation of case strategy, to negotiatoin with opposing parties, and often on to trials or hearings. The Advocacy Clinic functions much as a real law firm does. Third-year students work with faculty members on several different types of cases, including criminal, housing, juvenile, and unemployment matters. The entire "firm" meets weekly to discuss cases, tactics, applicable law, and strategy.

Students develop skills in fact investigation, negotiation, case development, interviewing witnesses, use of expert witnesses, drafting and arguing motions, and the presentation of evidence. Students also learn to work holisticlly with clients and think outside the legal box. Students begin to develop preofessional judgment and the skills necessary for effective client representation. All cases handled by students are real cases with real consequences. The Advocacy Clinic is taught by Ben Barton, Jerry Black, Mae Quinn and occasionally by Doug Blaze and Dean Rivkin.