Criminal Justice Clinic

The Criminal Justice Clinic focuses on zealous criminal defense of indigent clients. Law students working in the clinic represent clients who are charged with misdemeanor offenses and probation violations, as well as engage in a post-conviction case review. The clinic represents clients in local district and circuit courts and operates on a completely pro bono basis.

The Clinic has dual goals to provide exceptional representation to clients while providing law students with the opportunity to practice and refine defense lawyering skills. Student attorneys engage in client-centered, trauma-informed lawyering in all aspects of their work. This includes client interviewing and counseling, investigation, motions practice, plea negotiations, trial, and sentencing. Students are the lead attorneys on their cases and learn substantive criminal law and procedure. Through pretrial and post-conviction experiences, students learn firsthand the impacts of mass incarceration while critically examining the history and current state of the criminal legal system.

The Clinic is directed by Prof. Sarah Gottlieb. For more information about the Clinic and to learn about eligibility requirements, contact Prof. Gottlieb at 540.458.8518.