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CLINICAL S
PROGRAM
outhwestern’s three legal clinics provide transformative educational experiences that enable law students to change others’ lives and their own while gaining greater practical skills and
professional polish. They get an invaluable real-context view of the law in action as they represent and assist some of the city’s most abused, neglected and injured people.
Under the auspices of Southwestern’s Children’s Rights, Immigration Law and Street Law clinics, students work on real cases for academic credit under close supervision of faculty who are licensed practicing attorneys. The students take on heavy responsibility for strategy and execution of an array of legal matters and often are involved in cases from beginning to end. They must adhere to professional responsibility requirements such as client confidentiality, civility and duty to the court, and learn how to exhibit empathy and professionalism when counseling clients.
■ Children’s Rights Clinic Through the Children's Rights Clinic, Southwestern students represent children in school discipline proceedings or children with disabilities in special education proceedings, and work with community groups to advocate for better and more equitable educational opportunities for children. Students working on school discipline cases interview and counsel clients, investigate and develop facts, interview witnesses, conduct legal research, create a case plan, negotiate with school personnel, and, if necessary, represent clients at school discipline hearings. Students working on special education cases interview and counsel clients, investigate and develop facts, work with mental health professionals and experts, conduct legal research, create a case plan, and represent clients at individualized education program team meetings. If necessary, students may represent clients at mediation or due process hearings.
■ Immigration Law Clinic Students in Southwestern’s Immigration Law Clinic represent children and adults in immigration matters. The Clinic provides free legal representation in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Violence Against Women Act and U visa cases where clients have been abused, neglected or abandoned, or have been victims of a crime. Students represent clients before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and possibly before the Immigration Court and Juvenile Court, which typically entails interviewing potential clients, developing case strategy, preparing immigration applications and presenting cases before the USCIS.
■ Street Law Clinic Students enrolled in the Street Law Clinic teach critical legal life skills to high school students, most of whom are involved in the dependency or delinquency system. Many of these young students also have learning disabilities, which qualifies them for special education services. The clinic students step into the roles of teacher, mentor and advocate to inform the teenagers about their rights and provide legal information and resources they need to successfully transition to independent living. The law students teach a weekly lesson using active-learning methodology and meet with their students individually to ensure each has a plan as they leave high school, focusing on housing, employment and education.<
BEYOND
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