Civil Clinic
The Civil Clinic is designed to teach essential skills (interviewing, counseling, problem-analysis, negotiation) for the practice of law.The class promotes reflection upon individual strengths and preferences in legal work.
Course: Lawyering Skills Survey (3 cr., graded, Fall, Spring and Summer). This course teaches the theory and practice of interviewing and counseling (through readings, demonstrations, role-playing, and videotaped exercises) and introduces the problem-solving strategies of negotiation and advocacy.The class also serves as a forum for students to reflect upon their live clinic experiences.Grades are based upon videotaped performances and short reflective writing. Lawyering Skills Survey should be taken concurrently with the placement or before the placement.
- Fall 2011: Offered as a one-week long, “Boot Camp” course taught Monday-Friday, August 15-19, between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm with Professor Linda F. Smith. Reflection meetings will be held three times throughout the fall semester. Recorded exercises (3) will be scheduled during the fall semester as well.
- Spring 2012: Taught Mondays & Tuesdays between 7:35 and 9:00 am with Professor Adam Mow.
Placements (2 – 5 cr., P/F, Fall, Spring, & Summer): Students will apply and develop lawyering skills in representing their own clients at public interest law offices and with pro bono attorneys.They interview & advise clients, develop strategies, and negotiate & advocate on their clients’ behalf in administrative & court hearings.Placements include:
- Disability Law Center—Address legal problems arising from a client’s disability.
- Guardian ad Litem—Represent children in Juvenile Court: abuse, neglect, parental termination cases and District Court: cohabitant abuse, divorce where abuse is alleged. Placements in downtown Salt Lake City and W. Jordan.
- Hill Air Force Base Military Clinic – Represent enlisted service people
- Immigration Court Clinic – Assist to screen immigrants brought before the Court and counsel regarding possible defenses/voluntary departure.
- Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake—Family law: Includes divorce, custody, and domestic violence.
- Mentors for Moms with Lokken & Associates—Mentor and assist clients in the child protective system who are faced with losing (or have lost) physical custody of their children.
- Rocky Mountain Innocence Center – Available to students enrolling in the Innocence Clinic 2011-12
- Salt Lake City Attorney’s Office—Assist in civil cases for the city.
- Utah Crime Victim’s Legal Clinic—Victims’ rights in criminal cases..
- Utah Legal Services—General poverty law: landlord-tenant, public benefits, consumer, elderly & wills, family.
Students’ legal work may involve family problems, wills, public benefits, basic necessities, housing, immigration, individual rights or protection of the elderly or disabled.Typically a student specializes in only one area of law during any one semester.
**Certain of the above placements are also available in conjunction with substantive courses as part of the Victims Clinic, Disability Clinic, Elder Law Clinic, & Consumer Clinic.**
Faculty: Professosr Linda F. Smith and Adam Mow
Registration & Placement: Students must complete the Clinical Program Application and Placement Preference Form in order to indicate placement preferences and background. Students will then be enrolled in the clinic and Skills Survey class.
Students who have previously taken the Lawyering Skills course may enroll in the placement component of the Civil Clinic in a subsequent semester.
LAW 7920-001: Lawyering Skills Survey
LAW 7930-001: Civil Clinic, Fall or Spring (2 – 5 credits)