FAQs About Clinics

Why should I enroll in a clinic?

Clinics are a chance to learn to represent an actual client and build practice skills under the mentorship of an experienced attorney-teacher. While working with your client in the field, you also have the support of faculty and colleagues in the classroom to practice skills and discuss issues related to your cases.

How are clinics graded?

Yearlong clinics are credit/no credit for the first semester, and may be either letter-graded or honors/pass/fail for the second semester (but reflecting the full year's performance). Semester-long clinics (including advanced) are either letter-graded or honors/pass/fail. Honors/pass/fail and credit/no credit courses are reflected on the transcript but are not included in your GPA. Be sure to look at the clinic comparison chart to see what grading method applies to each clinic.

Unlike lecture courses that may be graded based on a single final exam or paper, clinic students are graded based on preparation for and engagement in clinic work throughout.

How do I enroll in a clinic?

There is a clinic lottery/application process in advance of the regular course lottery each semester. Students rank the clinics they are interested in, and if applications are required for any selected clinics, students simultaneously submit applications directly to the clinic directors. After application-based clinics determine their eligibility pool, the Student Records Office will run a lottery for all clinic seats based on students’ rankings.

Rankings and applications for fall and yearlong clinics, and a first chance at Spring clinics, are due no earlier than July 1, and applications to fill remaining seats in Spring clinics are due no earlier than Oct. 1. See the comparison chart or clinic webpages for applications, and the SRO enrollment schedule for exact dates. More FAQs about the enrollment process are here.

You can rank as many clinics as you like, but can ordinarily enroll in only one clinic per semester. Students will be enrolled prior to the regular lottery. Clinic seats that are still available after this process may be released during add/drop.

Some semester-long clinics have an advanced option for students who want to continue another semester, with instructor permission. These are not part of the lottery process.

When should I enroll in a clinic?

Most clinics are open to both 2Ls and 3Ls, unless they require court appearances.

Students are enrolled in clinics immediately after the clinic lottery, before the regular course lottery. Ranking and applications for fall and yearlong clinics, and a first chance at spring clinics, are due no earlier than Oct. 1, and applications to fill remaining seats in spring clinics are due no earlier than Oct. 1. See the comparison chart or clinic webpages for applications, and the SRO enrollment schedule for exact dates. Clinic seats that are still available after this process may be released during add/drop.

What is the clinic experience like?

CLINIC FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE (8-15 HRS/WK)

Students work individually or in teams to represent clinic clients. Although the faculty supervise the work, the goal of a clinic is to give students the tools and training to allow them to take significant responsibility for the client work and relationship, including representing clients at trial, providing legislative testimony, and drafting essential documents.

CLINIC SEMINAR AND SUPERVISION TIME (2-3 HRS/WK)

The clinics meet weekly (typically for 1.5-2 hours) for a classroom session. The faculty supervisor teaches relevant substantive law, skills needed for clinic work, and professional issues related to clinic practice. Clinic students also meet regularly with the faculty supervisor to discuss the work in the students' assigned cases.

WORKING WITH CLIENTS

Students in our clinics all represent or assist real clients on real legal and policy work. Many of the clinics' clients are individual people  who cannot afford to pay for legal services. Some of our clinics serve nonprofit organizations or community groups, entrepreneurs or government agencies.

ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE

While many of the clinics engage primarily inproviding legal services to clients, several clinics also engage in policy work, including advocating for legislative change, helping government agencies make internal policy changes, or helping community groups effect grassroots change.