How We Teach

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The Clinic teaches law students the skills, craft and ethics of lawyering by assigning them real clients in real situations with real problems. We teach students that good lawyers are problem-solvers who help others achieve their goals, often under conditions of uncertainty. Excellence in lawyering requires the application of legal knowledge, development of strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to grasp the multi-dimensional aspects and contextual nature of a problem. It entails appreciating that clients are people, not cases, who need empathetic counselors as well as zealous advocates. This prepares students for the real world, where problems often are neither immediately obvious nor easily defined.

The Clinic has an intensive curricular component that covers three areas:

• Substantive law such as federal and state child welfare, independent living, administrative law, special education, immigration, disabilities and public benefits
• Lawyering skills, such as interviewing and counseling, fact investigation, theory development, oral advocacy and trial practice
• Professional ethics in context, applying the Florida Rules of Ethics and American Bar Association Standards of Practice for Lawyers who Represent Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases

In weekly individual supervision meetings, we encourage students to take ownership of their cases, plan carefully and reflect on their experiences.