This clinic introduces third-year students to all aspects of current U.S. Supreme Court practice through live cases.
The clinic is a yearlong commitment.
Students earn eight credits (four credits on a S/U basis awarded in the fall, and four credits based on letter grades in the spring).
Case teams will meet regularly to discuss Supreme Court practice and/or research memos, drafts of briefs, and other papers students have prepared for submission to the court. Class sessions will focus on group case rounds, relevant Supreme Court scholarship, and the ethics of appellate lawyering. Students may be expected to help identify candidates for Supreme Court review; draft petitions for certiorari, briefs in opposition, amicus briefs and/or party merits briefs; and attend/participate in mootings for the En Banc Institute.
PREREQUISITE: Third-year status
APPLICATION: To apply, please send the following to @email by the summer lottery/application deadline:
- Writing sample (no more than 8 pages)
- Resume
- Transcript
- Cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining your interest in the clinic, describing any academic interests that you might contribute to the classroom discussion, including any courses you hope to take during 3L year, and listing major time commitments for the school year (e.g., journals, student organizations, work study, and personal commitments).
Selected students will have the clinic posted to their schedules before the commencement of the regular course lottery process. Because of the limited seats, students who don’t rank the clinic as their first choice in the general clinic application/lottery process may not be considered. Once students are enrolled, NO drops will be permitted.
Note: although the deadline is the end of the clinic lottery period, because this application requires a writing sample, submitting the application materials in advance of the lottery deadline will ensure a more thoughtful review of your materials.
To be considered for this clinic, students must both rank the clinic in the clinic lottery and submit application materials within the timeline set by the Student Records Office. Students selected for the clinic through the clinic application/lottery process will be automatically enrolled prior to the regular course lottery.
The positions that the clinic takes on behalf of its clients are independent of the views of the University of Virginia or the School of Law.
Faculty
Robert Long
Lecturer
Xiao Wang
Assistant Professor of Law, General Faculty
Director, Supreme Court Litigation Clinic
Assistant Professor of Public Policy, General Faculty, Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Skills Taught
Research, brief-writing, appellate litigation, mooting argument
Grading
S/U (fall); letter grade (spring)
Course Credits
8 (4 fall/4 spring)
Application
Application+Lottery - see instructions on left
Instructors
In the News
Ames v. Ohio Department of Social Services
Cert Granted Oct. 4, 2024
8.9.24 Supreme Court Takes Three Clinic Cases
Cunningham v. Cornell University
Cert Granted Oct. 4, 2024
8.9.24 Supreme Court Takes Three Clinic Cases
Jones v. Hendrix
Cert Granted May 16, 2022
Related News
10.26.22 Clinic To Argue Habeas Case at Supreme Court on Tuesday
5.17.22 Supreme Court Takes Clinic Case on Challenges to Convictions
Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, Inc.
Cert Granted June 24, 2019
Related News
11.26.19 Clinic Returns to Supreme Court To Argue Copyright Case
6.24.19 Supreme Court Takes Clinic Case Testing 19th-Century Copyright Doctrine
Quarles v. United States
Cert Granted Jan. 11, 2019
Related News
4.23.19 Clinic Returns to Supreme Court for Sentencing Enhancement Case
1.11.19 Supreme Court To Hear Clinic Case on Sentencing Enhancement
Culbertson v. Berryhill
Cert Granted May 21, 2018
Related News
1.9.19 Clinic Wins Attorneys’ Fees Case at U.S. Supreme Court
10.29.18 Clinic to Argue Attorneys' Fees Case Before the Supreme Court Next Week
5.21.18 Clinic Brings Attorney’s Fees Case to Supreme Court
City of Hays v. Vogt
Cert Granted Sept. 28, 2017
Related News
2.22.18 Supreme Court Clinic’s Efforts Culminate as Heytens Argues City of Hays
2.14.18 Clinic Returns to Supreme Court on Tuesday With Case Testing Fifth Amendment’s Limits
9.28.17 Clinic Headed to Supreme Court Again With City of Hays v. Vogt
Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis
Cert Granted Jan. 13, 2017
Related News
5.21.18 Clinic Loses Epic Supreme Court Case in Squeaker Decision
9.26.17 Law Clinic Director Preparing for 'Epic' Labor Law Showdown
1.14.17 Clinic Brings Epic Case to Supreme Court
Henderson v. United States
Cert Granted Oct. 20, 2014
Related News
5.18.15 UVA Law Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Gains Unanimous Win With Henderson
2.25.15 Inside the Oral Arguments for Henderson: A Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Student Reports
2.20.15 Supreme Court Will Hear UVA Law Clinic Case Involving Felons and Firearms Tuesday
10.21.14 Supreme Court Will Hear UVA Law Clinic Case Involving Gun, Property Rights
Update: UVA Law Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Wins Facebook Threat Case
Anthony D. Elonis v. United States
Cert Granted June 16, 2014
Related News
6.1.15 UVA Law Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Wins Facebook Threat Case
12.4.14 UVA Law Clinic Argues Elonis v. United States
11.19.14 UVA Law Clinic Brings 'True Threats' Facebook Case to Supreme Court
6.16.14 UVA Law Clinic Headed to Supreme Court Again with Elonis Facebook Threat Case
Rosemond v. United States (2013)
Related News
3.7.14 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Wins SCOTUS Firearms Conviction Case
5.29.13 Supreme Court to Hear Federal Gun Law Case from UVA Law School Clinic
Vance v. Ball State University (2012)
Related News
6.24.13 Ortiz Reacts to Supreme Court's Decision in Employment Discrimination Case
11.26.12 UVA Law Professor Argues Workplace Harassment Case Before Supreme Court
7.9.12 Supreme Court to Hear Workplace Harassment Case from University of Virginia Law School Clinic
Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri (2011)
Related News
6.20.11 Supreme Court Rules for Clinic in Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri
3.23.11 Inside the Supreme Court: Instructors Argue Two Cases on Same Day
1.3.11 Supreme Court to Hear Two Clinic Cases on Same Day
10.18.10 Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Clinic Case
Nevada Commission on Ethics v. Carrigan (2011)
Related News
6.13.11 Supreme Court Rules for Clinic's Client in First Amendment Case
1.31.11 Supreme Court to Hear Fourth Clinic Case of Term
Fox v. Vice (2011)
Related News
6.6.11 Supreme Court Rules in Clinic Case
3.23.11 Inside the Supreme Court: Instructors Argue Two Cases on Same Day
1.3.11 Supreme Court to Hear Two Clinic Cases on Same Day
Kevin Abbott v. United States (2010)
Related News
3.8.10 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Gets Third Win
2.2.10 Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Clinic Case
Bloate v. United States (2010)
Related News
04.21.09 Supreme Court to Hear Law School Clinic Case
Vaden v. Discover Bank (2009)
Related News
3.9.09 Supreme Court Earns Second Win with Vaden
Indiana v. Edwards (2008)
Related News
3.31.08 U.S. Supreme Court Hears Law School Clinic Case
Watson v. United States (2007)
Related News
12.13.07 Supreme Court Clinic Celebrates First Win with Watson
3.26.07 Supreme Court to Hear Law School Clinic Case Watson
Merits Amicus Briefs
In December 2014, the clinic and Professor Douglas Laycock filed an amicus brief on behalf of the American Jewish Committee and other civil rights and civil liberties organizations in the Abercrombie & Fitch employment discrimination case:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc. (2014)
The clinic filed an amicus brief in a case the Supreme Court ruled on (affirming the clinic’s side) in 2012:
Taniguchi v. Kan Pacific Saipan, Ltd. (2011)
Clinic Stories (By Date):
5.23.23 Xiao Wang Joins Faculty To Lead Supreme Court Litigation Clinic
4.11.23 A Friend of the Court
10.26.22 Clinic To Argue Habeas Case at Supreme Court on Tuesday
5.17.22 Supreme Court Takes Clinic Case on Challenges to Convictions
11.26.19 Clinic Returns to Supreme Court To Argue Copyright Case
7.2.19 How UVA Law Fared at the Supreme Court This Term
6.24.19 Supreme Court Takes Clinic Case Testing 19th-Century Copyright Doctrine
4.23.19 Clinic Returns to Supreme Court for Sentencing Enhancement Case
1.11.19 Supreme Court To Hear Clinic Case on Sentencing Enhancement
1.9.19 Clinic Wins Attorneys’ Fees Case at U.S. Supreme Court
10.29.18 Clinic to Argue Attorneys' Fees Case Before the Supreme Court Next Week
5.21.18 Clinic Loses Epic Supreme Court Case in 5-4 Decision
5.21.18 Clinic Brings Attorney’s Fees Case to Supreme Court
2.22.18 Supreme Court Clinic’s Efforts Culminate as Heytens Argues City of Hays
2.14.18 Clinic Returns to Supreme Court on Tuesday With Case Testing Fifth Amendment’s Limits
9.28.17 Clinic Headed to Supreme Court Again With City of Hays v. Vogt
9.26.2017 Law Clinic Director Preparing for 'Epic' Labor Law Showdow
1.14.17 Clinic Brings Epic Case to Supreme Court
10.4.16 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Celebrates a Decade of Wins and Influence
9.2.15 U.Va.'s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Wins Big
6.1.15 UVA Law Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Wins Facebook Threat Case
5.18.15 UVA Law Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Gains Unanimous Win With Henderson
2.25.15 Inside the Oral Arguments for Henderson: A Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Student Reports
2.20.15 Supreme Court Will Hear UVA Law Clinic Case Involving Felons and Firearms Tuesday
12.2.14 UVA Law Clinic Argues Elonis v. United States
11.19.14 UVA Law Clinic Brings 'True Threats' Facebook Case to Supreme Court
10.21.14 Supreme Court Will Hear UVA Law Clinic Case Involving Gun, Property Rights
6.16.14 UVA Law Clinic Headed to Supreme Court Again with Elonis Facebook Threat Case
3.7.14 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Wins SCOTUS Firearms Conviction Case
6.24.13 Ortiz Reacts to Supreme Court's Decision in Employment Discrimination Case
5.29.13 Supreme Court to Hear Federal Gun Law Case from UVA Law School Clinic
11.26.12 UVA Law Professor Argues Workplace Harassment Case Before Supreme Court
7.9.12 Supreme Court to Hear Workplace Harassment Case from University of Virginia Law School Clinic
6.20.11 Supreme Court Rules for Clinic in Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri
6.13.11 Supreme Court Rules for Clinic's Client in First Amendment Case
6.6.11 Supreme Court Rules in Clinic Case
3.23.11 Inside the Supreme Court: Instructors Argue Two Cases on Same Day
1.31.11 Supreme Court to Hear Fourth Clinic Case of Term
1.3.11 Supreme Court to Hear Two Clinic Cases on Same Day
10.18.10 Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Clinic Case
3.8.10 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic Gets Third Win
2.2.10 Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Clinic Case
4.21.09 Supreme Court to Hear Law School Clinic Case
3.31.08 U.S. Supreme Court Hears Law School Clinic Case
3.9.09 Supreme Court Earns Second Win with Vaden
12.13.07 Supreme Court Clinic Celebrates First Win with Watson
A University of Virginia School of Law clinic will return to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to argue the habeas corpus case Jones v. Hendrix.