Clinics

SARAH SHALF: When you take a clinic at UVA Law, you'll experience what it's like to represent a client, and you'll learn skills that you can take with you to hit the ground running when you enter practice. You have the opportunity to be the lawyer in the driver's seat, practice law and represent a client.

NATALIA HEGUABURO: So as part of the prosecution clinic, I've been assigned to the Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney's Office, in which I've been able to stand up in court and argue in front of sitting state court judges.

RAPHAEL MOVSESIAN: I got involved with clinics because I really wanted some hands-on, real-life experience to practice some of those negotiation skills, drafting skills, litigation, being able to actually communicate with opposing counsel.

NATALIA HEGUABURO: I think being a member of a clinic has really shown me that the legal field is much bigger than what we learn about in our casebooks. I have been able to actually work on cases that impact real people and real lives.

SARAH SHALF: With over two dozen clinics at UVA Law, there is a clinic for everyone. So whether you want to get to know our local community, do work on behalf of the state, or do national or international work, there is something for everyone. We have the Innocence Project that helps free those who are wrongfully convicted. The decarceration clinic, which helps people once they get out. Environmental law clinic that helps people with all manner of environmental advocacy.

We've had students attending the Supreme Court arguments and watching their professor do an oral argument. We have students actually doing their own arguments in the Courts of Appeals. We've helped a community group save their historic Black school. In the Human rights clinic, students have traveled around the world to see what's going on the ground and see the impact of their work in the clinic on location.

NATALIA HEGUABURO: I really feel like I am using the skills and the knowledge that I've gained in law school to be an actual lawyer. It's been tremendously beneficial and rewarding to apply the law to real cases impacting real people.

RAPHAEL MOVSESIAN: I think participating in a clinic will be beneficial for any lawyer. It doesn't matter if you are doing litigation, transactional, regulatory, the skills you will learn will translate to any career that you choose. I was able to review contracts, draft settlement agreements, but also get some experience in litigation aspects. So it really touches on all of those, as well as teaching you effective negotiation skills and communication.

SARAH SHALF: Clinics are really a great opportunity for students to get to the community, learn about working with community members here in Charlottesville and also across the state of Virginia.

NATALIA HEGUABURO: We are able to get out into the community to talk to victims, police officers, witnesses, other lawyers, and even judges in order to come to the best solution in each case. We're representing the community. And I think that that's the best way to give back to Charlottesville.