Ruth V. McGregor Family Protection Clinic
 

The Family Protection Clinic will represent indigent victims of intimate abuse., sex trafficking and not for profits that represent vulnerable populations. The Clinic provides students with an intensive education in the art of trial advocacy, community organizing and victim empowerment. Students will have extensive hands-on experience with family law, poverty lawyering and business law for not for profit organizations.

 

The Clinic is designed to offer students several opportunities to work with victims of intimate abuse and sex trafficking in varied settings including contested protection order cases, custody and divorce cases, setting aside of judgments and fingerprinting clearances as well as appellate work.   Through their direct client service students will evaluate and critique current laws, policies and services available to victims of intimate abuse and sex trafficking. Students will think strategically about how to enhance justice in the system and will partake in project-based work such as exploring new legislation, community programs and victim services.  Through the Clinic’s agency work students will learn how to provide legal counsel to not for profits, including start up considerations and issues commonly dealt with by the organization’s legal counsel. 

 

A two day orientation on the first Tuesday and Thursday of classes and a weekly mandatory seminar will prepare students to appear in court. Students will work individually and in teams of two on cases and projects. Students are fully responsible for all aspects of each case.  Students will have regular meetings with faculty and staff to review and discuss litigation strategy.  Students are expected to think deeply about the universe of the client’s problems and goals, not just the particular proceeding in front of them.  The Clinic aims to teach students to be skilled self-reflective lawyers equipped to litigate and counsel in various fields with an understanding and appreciation for justice lawyering and how to effectuate change in the legal system. 

 

The Clinic is graded (6 credits). Students will devote 300 hours, approximately 20 hours a week to work at the Clinic.  To allow sufficient time to appear in court, students are asked NOT to schedule classes during regular court business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.