Georgia State Law clinics offer students experience with clients

Practical legal advocacy training

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.

Center for Clinical Programs

In-House Clinics

The in-house clinics are one semester available in the fall and spring. There is no limit on the number of clinic credits that a student may earn. In-house clinics are graded and are four credit hours per semester.

Health Law Partnership Legal Services Clinic

Students develop skills by representing children from low-income families who receive services at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic

Students represent low-income people during the post-audit stage of their Internal Revenue Service disputes.

Off-Site Clinics

Off-site clinics are one year long, are pass/fail and offer a total of six credits for the year.

Capital Defender Clinic

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

Landlord-Tenant 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.

Clinic Application

The clinic applications are currently closed.

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 Jennifer Grindell.

FAQs

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 under 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 can take more than one clinic, but they 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.