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.

Questions?WCC 3085

617-495-5202 clinical@law.harvard.edu

www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical