Civil Justice Clinic

SLN #: 40637
Course Prefix: LAW-773
Course Section: 001
Credit Hours: 6
Instructor(s): Karin
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
Students enrolled in the Civil Justice Clinic represent clients in civil disputes and administrative proceedings with faculty supervision. The Civil Justice Clinic is primarily handling the following types of civil cases: predatory mortgage lending cases, tenants rights, equity skimming cases and employment law matters. Students also represent non-profit clients on work-life policy issues, such as the proper role of government in supporting the needs of employees, employers, and the community in achieving greater access to flexible work arrangements, time off, and career maintenance. In addition, clients may include employees involved in wage-recovery actions, persons who have been wrongfully denied unemployment benefits, consumers who have been defrauded in commercial transactions, servicemembers and individuals facing the prospect of civil litigation. Students are responsible for handling all aspects of civil and administrative practice, including: representing clients in contested administrative hearings; drafting demand letters, pleadings, motions and appellate briefs; interviewing and counseling clients; conducting discovery in civil litigation; negotiating with other parties, representing clients in hearings, arbitrations, mediations and trials; and occasionally presenting oral argument in Arizona appellate courts and the Ninth Circuit. Most semesters, each student works on a written project, such as a motion, brief, complaint, in-depth legal memoranda, legislative testimony, regulatory comment, or position paper.

The Civil Justice Clinic is a graded six credit course, with grading based on a number of established criteria, including diligence and thoroughness in representing clients, and classroom participation. Students are expected to spend approximately 300 hours in the Clinic during the semester. As a general guideline, students are expected to work 30 hours per week in the clinic.

The Civil Justice Clinic includes a mandatory seminar that focuses on simulation exercises in such matters as: courtroom advocacy, interviewing, client counseling, fact investigation, civil discovery, and negotiation. During staffing meetings, potential cases are discussed and either accepted or declined by the firm.

This course fulfills the professional skills requirement for graduation.

NOTE: Please see the Clinical Program website for more details. www.law.asu.edu/programs/clinic

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 6
Grading Option: Numeric Grade or Letter Grade Only
Written Assignment: Yes, see description.
Flexible/Upper-Level Writing Requirement: No
Skills Requirement: Yes
Simulation Course: No
Experiential Learning: No
Seminar: No
Prerequisite: Evidence (or co-requisite)
Special Withdrawal Course: Yes. Yes, the last day to withdraw without special permission from the Director of the Clinical Program is one month prior to the first seminar class.
Limited Enrollment Number: 4
Final Exam Given: No
Attendance Policy: Per Statement Of Student Policies
Additional Attendance Policy: Attendance at all classes and staff meetings is required.

* The law school has a policy that is used to calculate credit hours. Please see the Statement of Student Policies.