Family Law Center

Affiliated Faculty

Robert Emery, Psychology

Emery’s research focuses on children, families, and psychological processes of special importance to families such as adopting a systems perspective, grieving relationship loss, emotional pain and parenting across two homes.

Charlotte Patterson, Psychology

Patterson’s research focuses on the psychology of sexual orientation, with an emphasis on sexual orientation, human development and family lives.

W. Bradford Wilcox, Sociology

Courses and Seminars

Numbers in parentheses indicate which academic year(s) the courses were offered, i.e., 2020-21 is coded (21), 2021-22 is coded (22) and 2022-23 is coded (23). (SC) stands for short course and (YR) stands for yearlong. 

Clinics

Civil Rights Clinic (YR) (21,22,23)
Holistic Youth Defense Clinic (21,22,23)
Housing Litigation Clinic (YR) (21,22,23)
Youth Advocacy Clinic (YR) (21,22,23)

Clinics

Child Advocacy Clinic

In the yearlong clinic, offered in conjunction with the JustChildren Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center, students represent low-income children in the context of education and the justice system. This clinic is focused on addressing the legal needs of Virginia’s low-income children and youth both through individual client representation and broader reform efforts such as local and state policy advocacy, impact litigation and community education. Though most of the legal work will involve the representation of clients in the juvenile justice system or children being denied legally mandated educational opportunities, students may also represent children in cases involving immigration, services for incarcerated children, mental health and developmental disabilities law, and foster care and social services law. Clinic clients are often those youth most at the margins, and students will gain exposure to and a deeper understanding of the impact of race, poverty, disability and system-involvement on Virginia’s youth. More

Civil Rights Clinic

Students work on cases that have potential to provide real and concrete relief and legal support to people and communities that have been harmed by the criminalization of poverty and other forms of discrimination or deprivation of rights. Students provide direct representation to clients as well as participate in impact advocacy, including: complex litigation in federal court, legal support for community education and organizing, administrative advocacy, and legislative and policy advocacy. This yearlong clinical course is offered in partnership with the Legal Aid Justice Center, and course meetings are held onsite at the firm. More

Health and Disability Law Clinic

Students in this yearlong clinic represent clients in a variety of legal matters pertaining to the health needs of low-income clients. These needs include public benefits claims (including Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare and other benefits); insurance coverage; obtaining access to mental health or rehabilitative services; and seeking justice for the mistreatment of seniors and those with disabilities in various contexts. This yearlong clinical course is offered in partnership with the Legal Aid Justice Center, and course meetings are held onsite at the firm. The classroom component provides a forum for students to learn mental health, disability, public benefits, medical debt and elder law pertinent to the cases they are handling, as well as for the discussion of practice and ethical issues arising in those cases. More

Holistic Juvenile Defense Clinic

This semester-long clinic provides students an opportunity to practice holistic and zealous lawyering by representing juvenile clients on delinquency matters, as well as related school discipline and special education matters, in order to help keep youth in their homes, schools and communities with appropriate supports. Law students handle cases from the initial intake to the case disposition and subsequent appeal (if any).

Litigation and Housing Law Clinic

This clinic teaches and develops trial skills (including trial exercises) using housing law as the substantive vehicle, and qualified students also appear and argue in local courts under the direction of a clinic supervisor. This yearlong clinical course is offered in partnership with the Legal Aid Justice Center, and course meetings are held onsite at the firm. The caseload includes trials, administrative proceedings and interaction with low-income clients. Students handle eviction cases, rent escrow cases, abatement of substandard building conditions and other enforcement of residents' rights. More

Extracurricular

Students have an opportunity to engage in issues relating to families, gender and sexual orientation outside of the classroom through a range of extracurricular activities.

Academic Journal

Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law

This student-edited law journal publishes articles exploring the intersection of law and social policy issues. Recognizing the significance of the law and legal institutions on social conditions, the journal provides a forum in which to examine contending legal, judicial and political perspectives. Among the issues the journal addresses are: health care policy, welfare reform, criminal justice, voting rights, civil rights, family law, employment law, gender issues, education and critical race theory. Journal Website

Student Organizations

Advocates for Life at Virginia Law

AFL brings together law students eager to protect the fundamental right to life and fosters balanced and open discussion about the issue in the legal community. AFL educates and trains law students about the jurisprudence of a pro-life ethic, the attacks on the right to life and the best strategies to protect women and children from abortion and the vulnerable from embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia. By building a culture of courage and support among pro-life law students and lawyers, AFL promotes a legal environment that values and upholds the dignity of human life. 

Child Advocacy Research and Education

CARE brings together law students interested in taking a legal approach to issues affecting children, including education, juvenile justice, foster care and immigration. Through partnerships with local and national children’s law and advocacy organizations and CARE-generated projects, we assist in the direct representation of children and strive for broader systemic change through policy research and advocacy.

Domestic Violence Project

The Domestic Violence Project is a pro bono project led by law students. DVP addresses the problem of domestic violence both directly (through pro bono service) and indirectly (through educational efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the issue). DVP educates the Law School community about issues of domestic violence through speakers, discussion panels, films and other events. DVP volunteers also monitor domestic violence-related criminal justice proceedings in Charlottesville, Albemarle and several other surrounding jurisdictions through the Shelter for Help in Emergency's Court Monitoring Program, and assist the Commonwealth's Attorney Offices of Charlottesville and of Albemarle in their prosecution of domestic violence cases by interviewing victims of domestic violence through the Commonwealth's Attorney's Project. In addition, DVP participants volunteer for the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Domestic Violence Project, organize police ride-alongs and more.

Feminist Legal Forum

The Feminist Legal Forum is dedicated to advancing feminist discussion and awareness at the Law School, and provides a place for law students to examine legal issues that affect women, clarify what feminism means to young lawyers, and unite to eradicate sexism in the legal profession and within the Law School.

If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice at UVA Law

If/When/How is a pro-choice, pro-information student organization that educates, organizes and supports law students to ensure that a new generation of advocates will be prepared to protect and expand reproductive rights as basic civil and human rights. It is the organization’s position that reproductive justice will exist when all people can exercise the rights and access the resources they need to thrive and to decide if, when and how to create and sustain their families with dignity and free from discrimination, coercion or violence.

Lambda Law Alliance

Lambda Law Alliance provides an academically and socially supportive network for members of sexual minorities and their allies enrolled in the Law School. The organization also heightens awareness throughout the Law School, as well as the University community, about legal issues relevant to sexual minorities. Lambda informs the community of its interests and concerns and pushes for the expansion of equal civil rights for all. 

Virginia Law Families

Virginia Law Families supports and promotes the interests of students facing the challenges of attending law school while raising children. Among its primary objectives are promoting social interaction and the sharing of information, including among both current and prospective parents. Issues of specific concern include child care, medical resources and family activities or community events, with particular emphasis on low-cost options to help those on a tight budget. Virginia Law Families also supports the Law School admissions staff by encouraging individuals with families to apply for admission and attend the School of Law, and by serving as an information resource for potential attendees. 

Virginia Law Women

VLW is primarily designed to support and promote women in their endeavors and to understand their unique challenges by providing forums for them to interact with faculty, administration and other students; providing opportunities to create social networks with their fellow members; and exposing members to women working in professional, legal capacities. 

Women of Color

Women of Color provides social support to the diverse population of women at the Law School; promotes the welfare of its members through educational, professional, cultural, social and community service programs; and provides a forum for the discussion of issues affecting women of color in the Law School and the University community as a whole. Women of Color organizes service projects and fundraisers benefiting the University community and the greater Charlottesville-Albemarle community, social gatherings to promote fun and friendship, and open communication and involvement with the administration, professors, other student organizations and the undergraduate community.