Harvard Law School Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs 2014-2015 Clinical 101.
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Transcript of Harvard Law School Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs 2014-2015 Clinical 101.
Harvard Law School
Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs
2014-2015
Clinical 101
Clinical Programs
• HLS has the largest variety of clinical opportunities in the country.
• In 2013-2014, there were over 900 clinic placements.
• Placements may be on or off campus, local or long distance, within the U.S. or around the world.
What is a clinic?
• Academic experience where students learn law through practice.
• Type of practice varies by clinic: litigation, legislative, policy, research.
• All work is supervised by a licensed attorney who provides feedback and guides training.
• Clinic work is supplemented by a course component where students learn substantive law and practical skills.
Placements
• Clinical placements are available at in-house clinics (HLS) and externships (outside, independent organizations).
• Externship placements include government offices, large and small non-profits, and other agencies.
• See clinical curriculum chart to see placements offered through clinical courses.
HLS ClinicsIn-House Clinics:
• Criminal Justice Institute• Crimmigration Clinic (HIRC)• Cyberlaw Clinic (Berkman)• Education Law Clinic / Trauma Learning
Policy Initiative• Emmett Environmental Law and Policy
Clinic• Food Law and Policy Clinic (CHLPI)• Harvard Immigration & Refugee Clinic• Harvard Legal Aid Bureau• Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinic• Health Law and Policy Clinic (CHLPI)• International Human Rights• Shareholder Rights Clinic• Transactional Law Clinics
Externship Clinics:
• Capital Punishment Clinic• Child Advocacy Clinic (CAP)• Criminal Prosecution Clinic(District Attorney)• Employment Law Clinic• Government Lawyer – USAO & State Attorney General• Government Lawyer – Semester in Washington• Judicial Process in Community Courts• Sports Law Clinic• Supreme Court Litigation Clinic
In-House Clinics at the WilmerHale Legal Services Center (Jamaica Plain): • Family Law and Domestic Violence Clinic
• Post-Foreclosure Eviction Defense/Housing Law Clinic• Predatory Lending and Consumer Protection Clinic• Veterans Law and Disability Benefits Clinic
Clinical Curriculum
www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical
• Clinical work is done in conjunction with a course (Exception: Independent Clinicals and Continuing Clinicals)
• Curriculum chart lists clinics and their required course component(s).
• Also lists registration restrictions, pre-requisites, clinicals that span more than 1 term, clinicals offered in more than 1 term, additional requisites.
Clinical Credits
• Clinical credits are based on the average number of hours worked at the clinic per week.
• 1 clinical credit = 5 work hours per week
TermWeek
sCredit
sHours/Week
Hours/Term
Fall or Spring 12 2 10 hrs/wk120
hrs/term
Fall or Spring 12 3 15 hrs/wk180
hrs/term
Fall or Spring 12 4 20 hrs/wk240
hrs/term
Winter 3 2 40 hrs/wk120
hrs/term
Things to consider
• Clinics are a very serious time commitment.
• Real cases and clients with important outcomes.
• Expect to reserve half-days or full days for clinic work.
• Research a clinic before enrolling:
– Get advising from Clinical Office (oversees all clinics)
– Review past student evaluations (HELIOS.law.harvard.edu – Public Service and Clinical Practice)
– Talk to the clinic director or attorneys about the kind of work clinical students engage in
Enrollment
• Clinics are taken with a class
• Some clinics have additional pre-requisites that students must fulfill to participate.
• Clinics have early drop deadlines – please see the clinical curriculum chart or course catalog for specific dates.
• Failure to enroll in pre/co-requisite by the clinic’s add/drop deadline will result in the student being dropped from the clinic
Dropping
• If you drop a clinical that has a Bundled or Reserved course component, you will be dropped from the clinic and the course.
• Drop deadlines for clinicals are earlier than of regular courses (clinical drop deadlines can be found on the Clinical Curriculum Chart and in the clinic’s description).
• If the class and clinical are in different semesters, you must drop by the deadline of the first component.
Capital Punishment Clinic
Fall class Winter-Spring
clinicalAdd/Drop by Fall deadline
Example:
Reserved Seats
• Reserved clinical seats refer to a group of seats in a course that are reserved for clinical students. If a student chooses to drop the clinical component, they will lose their seat in the course:
Reserved Clinical Seats
= 8
Other seats are Other seats are for students who for students who
are only taking are only taking the classthe class
By Application
Some clinics require an application:
• Crimmigration Clinic
• Environmental Law and Policy (winter clinic only)
• Government Lawyer: Semester in Washington – due August 15
• Shareholder Rights Clinic – rolling deadline
• Sports Law Clinic
• Supreme Court Litigation Clinic
Continuing Clinical
• For students who complete the class and clinical, and are invited back by the clinic to continue clinical work at an advanced level.
• Requires approval of supervising attorney and the clinic’s faculty director.
• Enrollment is by application.