Georgia State Law clinics offer students experience with clients

Clinics offer students a unique opportunity to see how the law works in practice before they graduate from the college. In clinics, students use methods learned in the classroom to help clients. The facility for the on-campus clinics functions like a law firm and serves clients who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer. Students in the in-house clinics are assigned to their own cases and work under the supervision of law faculty or a supervising attorney. Participating in a clinic is the perfect way for students to explore their areas of interest and find their passion.

Events

2023 Southern Clinical Conference
“Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble”

Opportunities and Challenges for Clinics and Externships in the South

October 20
New Clinicians Programming
1-5 p.m.

Welcome Reception
6:30-8:30 p.m.

October 21
Conference Programming
9 a.m.-5 p.m.

October 22
Conference Programming
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Georgia State University College of Law
Atlanta, Georgia

The late Civil Rights Leader John Lewis called for social justice to happen by creating “good trouble.” Clinical legal education is a force for social justice both in law schools and more broadly, meaning we all have a role to play in creating good trouble in the south. This year’s Southern Clinical Conference will explore different ways our work and our students’ work can create “good trouble.”

“Good trouble,” refers to the fight against a range of social injustices, including racial injustice, gender inequality, and economic disparities. What opportunities exist in the South and more generally for creating “good trouble?” What challenges exist? Does clinical legal education need to adapt to address both these opportunities and challenges?

Please join us for sessions that will explore the diverse ways clinical faculty, both in-house and externship, can create “good trouble.” We solicited presentations that address the challenges of social, political, or cultural issues in the south and beyond. The conference provides opportunities to engage in vibrant discussions, network with like-minded colleagues, discover new and exciting collaborative possibilities, and take home valuable information that will improve your work and service as an experiential educator.

The conference program can be found by clicking here.

In-House Clinics

The in-house clinics are one semester, available in both fall and spring. Students have the option to participate in a second semester of the in-house clinics. The second semester need not immediately follow the first semester.

Health Law Partnership Legal Services Clinic (HeLP)
Students develop skills by representing children from low-income families who receive services at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Phillip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Students represent low-income people during the post-audit stage of their Internal Revenue Service disputes.

Immigration Clinic
Students learn the ins and outs of immigration law, practice case intake and develop client relations skills.

Off-Site Clinics

Off-site clinics vary in participation requirements and 3-4 credit hours. Please be sure to confirm whether the off-site clinic you are interested in is a one semester or full year (two-semester) commitment.

Capital Defender Clinic
Students help capital defender attorneys represent individuals facing the death penalty who want to have their sentences reverse.

Mediation Clinic
Students receive training and certification as registered mediators. They mediate disputes between landlords and tenants and more.

Olmstead Disability Rights Clinic
The clinic is in partnership with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society’s Disability Integration Project. It focuses on advocacy arising out of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision.

Clinics Application

Clinic Application

Clinic applications are accepted for the fall semester during the previous spring, and for the spring in the previous fall semester.

Students are accepted based on demand. Students may apply for all three in-house clinics at the same time and indicate their order of preference.

Review Georgia State Law’s academic calendar for due dates or contact Clinic Administrator Roshaine Elliott.

Spring 2024 Application Period: Sept. 13 - Sept. 27, 2023

FAQs

Clinic FAQs

Why should I take a clinic?

Clinics provide a unique learning experience that allows students to inhabit the role of a lawyer and all that it entails, including assuming substantial responsibility for real legal work on behalf of real clients. The in-house clinics are taught by professors whose primary professional commitment is teaching and who have expertise in clinical pedagogy. These faculty closely supervise and are focused on students’ learning and development as they move through the process of handling real legal matters. In clinics, students work closely with both faculty and peers. The clinics include a seminar component, weekly supervision meetings, and case rounds, which are group meetings in which students examine critical incidents in cases, themes that arise through clinic experiences, and targeted lawyering issues. Clinics offer students a unique opportunity to better understand how the law works in real life and to gain valuable practice skills before they graduate from law school. Students in clinics will be certified under the Georgia Student Practice Rule. The clinic structure allows students to draw upon and further develop their substantive knowledge, doctrinal reasoning, lawyering skills, ethical engagement, and professional identity.

What will I do in a clinic?

The work will vary depending upon the clinic. However, all in-house clinics offer students the opportunity to work on their own cases, interview and counsel clients, draft documents, and engage in many other lawyering tasks with the close supervision and mentoring of a licensed attorney whose primary job is to teach and supervise students in the clinic.

What is the time commitment for clinics?

All clinics have a classroom seminar as well as specific requirements for office hours during which students work on cases and serve clients each week. Students will also have regular supervision meetings to go over the status of their cases. The total hours required depends upon the type of clinic offered, the credit hours, and other factors, including the complexity of the work. Students may be required to spend a minimum of seven to ten hours per week on clinic work outside of class time. To find out the requirements for individual clinics, consult the director of the clinic in which you are interested.

What if there is not a clinic in the practice area of my interest?

The goal for students who participate in clinics is learning for “transfer.” In other words, through intensive supervision, feedback and reflection, students learn and are able to transfer their learning to new situations and environments. Students will learn multiple skills in the context of real-life experiences and receive a high degree of supervision and feedback on their performance. Thus, even though there may not be a clinic that directly addresses a particular subject matter of interest, the knowledge and skills a student learns in clinic are transferable to any kind of legal work.

Can I work an outside job while I take a clinic?

As with all courses, effective time management is essential. Students are not prohibited from working while enrolled in a clinic. However, the clinics serve clients, and students must ensure there are no conflicts of interest presented by their outside employment, that the clients’ needs are being met, and that the clients’ interests are protected. Prospective students should discuss their work schedule with the clinic professor prior to enrollment. Students should also fully disclose and discuss all potential conflicts of interest. The clinic will decide if the conflict is sufficient to disqualify the student.

Can I drop a clinic?

In most cases, students may not drop a clinic once enrolled if that clinic requires students to sign an enrollment agreement. This is because the course component of the clinic cannot be filled by others who may have accepted other commitments. To withdraw after signing the agreement, students must receive permission from the clinic’s director.

Are there clinic opportunities for part-time students?

All students are eligible to take clinics if they meet the eligibility criteria. In order to enroll in a clinic, you must be able to attend the clinic during the class times listed on the schedule. The Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic is also occasionally offered in the evening. Part-time students also have enrolled in the other clinics. If you have questions about whether your schedule could work with one of our clinics, please contact the Professor who teaches in that clinic.

Students whose schedule does not permit day-time participation may wish to explore externship opportunities, of which there are several that can accommodate evening work. Please view the Externship page for opportunities.

Do I need prior experience to do a clinic or other course?

Other than the prerequisites noted for individual courses, students are typically eligible for application and enrollment in a clinic after successful completion of all first-year required courses.

Can a student take more than one in-house clinic?

Students may take more than one clinic, as space permits and the needs of the individual clinics allow. There is no restriction on the number of clinic credits a student may earn. Students may not enroll in more than one clinic at the same time.

If I do not get accepted to a clinic, is there a wait list?

Yes. If you are not accepted, the individual clinics maintain a waitlist. Students are taken off the waitlist as slots become available.

Is there a cap on the number of clinics or other experiential courses a student may take?

There is no cap on the number of clinics or experiential courses a student may take. However, students are limited to two semesters of externships.

How many semesters are the clinics?

The in-house clinics (HeLP, Immigration, Tax) are one semester. Students may take up to two semesters of the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Clinic, Immigration Clinic and the Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. The two semesters do not need to be consecutive. There is no limit on the number of clinic credits that a student may earn.

The off-site clinics (Capital Defender, Mediation, Olmstead) are either one or two semesters long. Be sure to confirm whether the off-site clinic you are interested in is a one or two-semester commitment.

Are the clinics graded?

In-house clinics (HeLP, Immigration, Tax) are graded. Off-site clinics (Capital Defender, Mediation, Olmstead) are pass/fail and count toward the College of Law’s maximum of 12 hours of s/u credits.

What prerequisites are required for clinics?

Students must be in good academic standing with a grade point average of at least 2.2 to participate in a clinic. Some clinics may have additional prerequisites, which are found in the bulletin.

Center for Clinical Programs Faculty & Staff

W. Edward “Ted" Afield

Associate Dean for Experiential Education and Director of Clinical Programs Director, Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, Mark and Evelyn Trammell Professor & Clinical Professor of Law