Course Schedule

What is the DRC? 

Students in the Disability Rights Clinic (DRC) represent clients with disabilities in a variety of legal contexts.  Students will represent low-income parents of children with disabilities in cases brought against school districts that have violated state and federal special education and anti-discrimination laws. 

What kind of experience will I gain? 

DRC students draft civil complaints, develop expert testimony, mediate their cases, and try them when necessary.  Students work in teams on one to three cases, depending on their areas of interest, client need, and capacity. 

Will I work to resolve disputes?

Significant focus and attention is given to ADR in DRC. Students serve as lead student counsellors in formal mediation of their complaints before mediators on contract with the Texas Education Agency.  Through this model, students develop skills common to both litigation (drafting, discovery, witness prep) and transactional (negotiation, line-editing, creative problem-solving) practices.

Will I have much client contact? 

Yes!  Students practice the skills involved in building trust with their child clients and families through regular counselling by phone, zoom, and sometimes through in-person home visits. The DRC emphasizes the art of making the law accessible to nonlawyer parents and, where possible, their children.  

How does DRC get its clients?

Families needing DRC legal services are selected primarily through a medical-legal partnership with the Dell Children’s Medical Group and other state-wide partners.  Many of the children served live in under-resourced rural communities, and a majority are young children of color.  Some children are in foster care or have experienced housing instability, and a large number have been identified as having autism.

What kinds of situations do DRC clients confront?

DRC students have worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, put into segregated and locked education settings kids whose conduct was driven by unmet disability-related need, and failed to facilitate critical services necessary for the student's inclusion in school. Many of our cases have involved kids whose behavior has become challenging because of the lack of appropriate services, and some have involved contested hearings in the suspension and expulsion contexts.  

What are the course requirements?

The Disability Rights Clinic meets once per week for two hours. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this four-credit hour clinic. There is no final exam or paper. Students should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week on clinic work, including class time. 

Roughly one-third of class time is devoted to understanding and discussing substantive education law and how it plays out "on the ground" in Texas school districts.  Additional class sessions are used to teach and practice specific skills involved in identifying and analyzing the strength and weakness of legal claims, drafting, working with experts, negotiating, conducting formal mediation, and putting on witnesses at hearing.  Each week, students deepen their understanding of special education law practice by presenting their case developments and giving feedback through case rounds.   

Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as enrollment is limited and faculty permission is required to register. Students should submit an electronic application by the end of the application window. For more information, contact Professor Lucy Wood at lwood@law.utexas.edu or at (512) 626-2060.

Taught by Professor Lucy Wood 4 credits (pass/fail) — offered Fall and Spring The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

Who should take this clinic?

Students who want to gain experience in litigation and/or mediation, and those who would like to go on to represent children or people with disabilities in either a pro bono or public interest practice, should consider this clinic.  DRC partners with it several of its graduates in Big Law to broaden its reach. Graduates of DRC have worked in large law firms supporting special education work as a pro bono focus, in mid-size firm practice representing school districts, as lawyers in nonprofit settings representing persons with disabilities, in juvenile and criminal defense work, and in governmental entities requiring expertise in education or disability law.  

 An application is required.

What is the DRC? 

Students in the Disability Rights Clinic (DRC) represent clients with disabilities in a variety of legal contexts.  In the fall semester of 2023, students will represent low-income parents of children with disabilities in cases brought against school districts that have violated state and federal special education and anti-discrimination laws. 

What kind of experience will I gain? 

DRC students draft civil complaints, develop expert testimony, mediate their cases, and try them when necessary.  Students work in teams on one to three cases, depending on their areas of interest, client need, and capacity. 

Will I work to resolve disputes?

Significant focus and attention is given to ADR in DRC. Students serve as lead student counsellors in formal mediation of their complaints before mediators on contract with the Texas Education Agency.  Through this model, students develop skills common to both litigation (drafting, discovery, witness prep) and transactional (negotiation, line-editing, creative problem-solving) practices.

Will I have much client contact? 

Yes!  Students practice the skills involved in building trust with their child clients and families through regular counselling by phone, zoom, and sometimes through in-person home visits. The DRC emphasizes the art of making the law accessible to nonlawyer parents and, where possible, their children.  

How does DRC get its clients?

Families needing DRC legal services are selected primarily through a medical-legal partnership with the Dell Children’s Medical Group and other state-wide partners.  Many of the children served live in under-resourced rural communities, and a majority are young children of color.  Some children are in foster care or have experienced housing instability, and a large number have been identified as having autism.

What kinds of situations do DRC clients confront?

DRC students have worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, put into segregated and locked education settings kids whose conduct was driven by unmet disability-related need, and failed to therapies and other critical related services necessary for kids' inclusion in school. Many of our cases have involved kids whose behavior has become challenging because of the lack of appropriate services, and some have involved contested hearings in the suspension and expulsion contexts.  

What are the course requirements?

The Disability Rights Clinic meets once per week for two hours. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this four-credit hour clinic. There is no final exam or paper. Students should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week on clinic work, including class time. 

Roughly one-third of class time is devoted to understanding and discussing substantive education law and how it plays out "on the ground" in Texas school districts.  Additional class sessions are used to teach and practice specific skills involved in identifying and analyzing the strength and weakness of legal claims, drafting, working with experts, negotiating, conducting formal mediation, and putting on witnesses at hearing.  Each week, students deepen their understanding of special education law practice by presenting their case developments and giving feedback through case rounds.   

Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as enrollment is limited and faculty permission is required to register. Students should submit an electronic application by the end of the application window. For more information, contact Professor Lucy Wood at lwood@law.utexas.edu or at (512) 626-2060.

Taught by Professor Lucy Wood 4 credits (pass/fail) — offered Fall and Spring The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

Who should take this clinic?

Students who want to gain experience in litigation and/or mediation, and those who would like to go on to represent children or people with disabilities in either a pro bono or public interest practice, should consider this clinic.  DRC partners with it several of its graduates in Big Law to broaden its reach. Graduates of DRC have worked in large law firms supporting special education work as a pro bono focus, in mid-size firm practice representing school districts, as lawyers in nonprofit settings representing persons with disabilities, in juvenile and criminal defense work, and in governmental entities requiring expertise in education or disability law.  

 An application is required.

What is the DRC? 

Students in the Disability Rights Clinic (DRC) represent clients with disabilities in a variety of legal contexts.  In the fall semester of 2023, students will represent low-income parents of children with disabilities in cases brought against school districts that have violated state and federal special education and anti-discrimination laws. 

What kind of experience will I gain? 

DRC students draft civil complaints, develop expert testimony, mediate their cases, and try them when necessary.  Students work in teams on one to three cases, depending on their areas of interest, client need, and capacity. 

Will I work to resolve disputes?

Significant focus and attention is given to ADR in DRC. Students serve as lead student counsellors in formal mediation of their complaints before mediators on contract with the Texas Education Agency.  Through this model, students develop skills common to both litigation (drafting, discovery, witness prep) and transactional (negotiation, line-editing, creative problem-solving) practices.

Will I have much client contact? 

Yes!  Students practice the skills involved in building trust with their child clients and families through regular counselling by phone, zoom, and sometimes through in-person home visits. The DRC emphasizes the art of making the law accessible to nonlawyer parents and, where possible, their children.  

How does DRC get its clients?

Families needing DRC legal services are selected primarily through a medical-legal partnership with the Dell Children’s Medical Group and other state-wide partners.  Many of the children served live in under-resourced rural communities, and a majority are young children of color.  Some children are in foster care or have experienced housing instability, and a large number have been identified as having autism.

What kinds of situations do DRC clients confront?

DRC students have worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, put into segregated and locked education settings kids whose conduct was driven by unmet disability-related need, and failed to therapies and other critical related services necessary for kids' inclusion in school. Many of our cases have involved kids whose behavior has become challenging because of the lack of appropriate services, and some have involved contested hearings in the suspension and expulsion contexts.  

What are the course requirements?

The Disability Rights Clinic meets once per week for two hours. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this four-credit hour clinic. There is no final exam or paper. Students should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week on clinic work, including class time. 

Roughly one-third of class time is devoted to understanding and discussing substantive education law and how it plays out "on the ground" in Texas school districts.  Additional class sessions are used to teach and practice specific skills involved in identifying and analyzing the strength and weakness of legal claims, drafting, working with experts, negotiating, conducting formal mediation, and putting on witnesses at hearing.  Each week, students deepen their understanding of special education law practice by presenting their case developments and giving feedback through case rounds.   

Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as enrollment is limited and faculty permission is required to register. Students should submit an electronic application by the end of the application window. For more information, contact Professor Lucy Wood at lwood@law.utexas.edu or at (512) 626-2060.

Taught by Professor Lucy Wood 4 credits (pass/fail) — offered Fall and Spring The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

Who should take this clinic?

Students who want to gain experience in litigation and/or mediation, and those who would like to go on to represent children or people with disabilities in either a pro bono or public interest practice, should consider this clinic.  DRC partners with it several of its graduates in Big Law to broaden its reach. Graduates of DRC have worked in large law firms supporting special education work as a pro bono focus, in mid-size firm practice representing school districts, as lawyers in nonprofit settings representing persons with disabilities, in juvenile and criminal defense work, and in governmental entities requiring expertise in education or disability law.  

 An application is required.

Students in the Disability Rights Clinic represent clients with with many different kinds of disabilities in a variety of legal contexts.  In the fall semester of 2022, students will represent low-income parents of children with disabilities to order to improve the special education services received by these children within the Texas public schools.  Families needing legal services will be identified primarily through a medical-legal partnership between the Disability Rights Clinic and Dell Children’s Medical Group developed to serve under-resourced rural communities in and around Central Texas.   Law students will gain hands-on experience in working directly with parent clients to understand the educational needs of each child and to formulate a case strategy for putting services into place.  In the past, students have worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, refused to serve in special education children with autism or other neuro-developmental disabilities, put into alternative education settings kids whose conduct was driven by disability-related need, and failed to provide nursing and other critical related services necessary for inclusion in school.   The basics of federal and state special education law will be taught primarily through the assessment of school districts’ potential liability.  Students will also practice the skills involved in building trust with their client families, empowering parents to push for appropriate services at interdisciplinary team meetings with district personnel, negotiating informally with school district counsel, and where necessary litigating and/or formally mediating special education matters.  The Clinic emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the art of making the law accessible to nonlawyer parents.  Graduates of Texas Law participating in these matters have later worked as lawyers in nonprofit settings representing persons with disability or their families, in larger law firms supporting special education work as a pro bono focus, in mid-size firm practice representing school districts, in juvenile and criminal defense work involving special education issues, and in governmental entities requiring expertise in education or disability law. 

The Disability Rights Clinic meets once per week for two hours. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this four-credit hour clinic. There is no final exam or paper. Students should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week on clinic work, including class time. Students will occasionally travel to meetings in small-town Texas, where feasible.  Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as enrollment is limited and faculty permission is required to register. Students should submit an electronic application, available at https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/, by the end of the application window. For more information, contact Professor Lucy Wood at lwood@law.utexas.edu or at (512) 626-2060.

• Taught by Professor Lucy Wood
• 4 credits (pass/fail) — offered Fall
• The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

FAQs for prospective students:

What type of cases are handled in this Clinic?

Students have in the past worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, refused to serve in special education children with autism or other neuro-developmental disabilities, put into alternative education settings kids whose conduct was driven by disability-related need, and failed to provide nursing and other critical related services necessary for inclusion in school.   Many of our cases have involved kids whose behavior has become challenging because of the lack of appropriate services, and many have involved working with experts to develop behavioral interventions and services that improve a child’s circumstances and trajectory.

What am I going to be doing?

Parents may be overwhelmed with the unmet education needs of their children and often experience feelings of helplessness, shame, anger, or fatigue in trying to help their children.  You will learn how to listen to your client(s), to support them in what is likely to be near the beginning of a life-long experience in advocacy, to teach them about what the law does and does not require, and to help them carefully frame their requests for critical services.  You may interact with doctors and others to support these requests.  Some children and their parents will need you to interact with prosecutors.  Other cases will involve your negotiating primarily with a lawyer from a school law firm, informally or at mediation.   You will likely drive to meet your client family and child, and your building trust with the family will be of the utmost importance to your success in bringing about change for them. 

What kind of legal skills can I hope to build?

You will actively work on your abilities to review records quickly, to analyze the strength of a case and value it in terms of potential relief, to draw information out of your client patiently and efficiently, and to communicate well across disciplines with psychologists, therapists, and others.  You will learn to prepare for interdisciplinary team meetings and to communicate informally about the needs of your client, to persuade others to adopt your proposals for the child, and to collaborate with a room full of people whose interests will often diverge from your client’s and those of the child.  The dynamics of the meetings are complex and will help you to explore your own approach, style, and voice as a soon-to-be lawyer.  Litigation is kept to a minimum in this clinic, although you may be asked to draft a complaint for filing in those cases where the issues cannot be resolved through creative and collaborative work, and many of the skills you will work on are litigation skills.  

What is the class like?

Readings on substantive law and exercises targeting specific skills will be posted weekly on Canvas and used in class.  Students will discuss their cases with other clinic students (“case rounds”) and there are scheduled guest speakers.

Students in the Disability Rights Clinic represent clients with with many different kinds of disabilities in a variety of legal contexts.  In the fall semester of 2022, students will represent low-income parents of children with disabilities to order to improve the special education services received by these children within the Texas public schools.  Additional work on other disability-related cases may be assigned consistent with clinic needs and student interests. 

Families needing legal services will be identified primarily through a medical-legal partnership between the Disability Rights Clinic and Dell Children’s Medical Group developed to serve under-resourced rural communities in and around Central Texas.   Law students will gain hands-on experience in working directly with parent clients to understand the educational needs of each child and to formulate a case strategy for putting services into place.  In the past, students have worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, refused to serve in special education children with autism or other neuro-developmental disabilities, put into alternative education settings kids whose conduct was driven by disability-related need, and failed to provide nursing and other critical related services necessary for inclusion in school.   

The basics of federal and state special education law will be taught primarily through the assessment of school districts’ potential liability.  Students will also practice the skills involved in building trust with their client families, empowering parents to push for appropriate services at interdisciplinary team meetings with district personnel, negotiating informally with school district counsel, and where necessary litigating and/or formally mediating special education matters.  The Clinic emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the art of making the law accessible to nonlawyer parents.  Graduates of Texas Law participating in these matters have later worked as lawyers in nonprofit settings representing persons with disability or their families, in larger law firms supporting special education work as a pro bono focus, in mid-size firm practice representing school districts, in juvenile and criminal defense work involving special education issues, and in governmental entities requiring expertise in education or disability law. 

The Disability Rights Clinic meets once per week for two hours. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this four-credit hour clinic. There is no final exam or paper. Students should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week on clinic work, including class time. Students will occasionally travel to meetings in small-town Texas, where feasible.  Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during early registration as enrollment is limited and faculty permission is required to register. Students should submit an electronic application, available at https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/, by the end of the early registration period. For more information, contact Professor Lucy Wood at lwood@law.utexas.edu or at (512) 626-2060.

• Taught by Professor Lucy Wood
• 4 credits (pass/fail) — offered Fall
• The clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

FAQs for prospective students:

What type of cases are handled in this Clinic?

Students have in the past worked on cases in which educators have physically abused or neglected children with disabilities, refused to serve in special education children with autism or other neuro-developmental disabilities, put into alternative education settings kids whose conduct was driven by disability-related need, and failed to provide nursing and other critical related services necessary for inclusion in school.   Many of our cases have involved kids whose behavior has become challenging because of the lack of appropriate services, and many have involved working with experts to develop behavioral interventions and services that improve a child’s circumstances and trajectory.

What am I going to be doing?

Parents may be overwhelmed with the unmet education needs of their children and often experience feelings of helplessness, shame, anger, or fatigue in trying to help their children.  You will learn how to listen to your client(s), to support them in what is likely to be near the beginning of a life-long experience in advocacy, to teach them about what the law does and does not require, and to help them carefully frame their requests for critical services.  You may interact with doctors and others to support these requests.  Some children and their parents will need you to interact with prosecutors.  Other cases will involve your negotiating primarily with a lawyer from a school law firm, informally or at mediation.   You will likely drive to meet your client family and child, and your building trust with the family will be of the utmost importance to your success in bringing about change for them. 

What kind of legal skills can I hope to build?

You will actively work on your abilities to review records quickly, to analyze the strength of a case and value it in terms of potential relief, to draw information out of your client patiently and efficiently, and to communicate well across disciplines with psychologists, therapists, and others.  You will learn to prepare for interdisciplinary team meetings and to communicate informally about the needs of your client, to persuade others to adopt your proposals for the child, and to collaborate with a room full of people whose interests will often diverge from your client’s and those of the child.  The dynamics of the meetings are complex and will help you to explore your own approach, style, and voice as a soon-to-be lawyer.  Litigation is kept to a minimum in this clinic, although you may be asked to draft a complaint for filing in those cases where the issues cannot be resolved through creative and collaborative work, and many of the skills you will work on are litigation skills.  

What is the class like?

Readings on substantive law and exercises targeting specific skills will be posted weekly on Canvas and used in class.  Students will discuss their cases with other clinic students (“case rounds”) and there are scheduled guest speakers.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. Students will also perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization as well as litigate in Travis County courts. Law students work alongside social work intern partners from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work to provide clients with holistic services for better outcomes.

The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders.   

In addition to regular class time, there are five additional mandatory time commitments for participation in the Domestic Violence Clinic:

1. Mandatory extra class session on Saturday, August 29, 2026 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. You may not participate in the Clinic if you do not attend the extra class. 
2. A one-hour weekly meeting with the supervising attorney.
3. You will be scheduled for 4 hours per week office hours/phone duty at the Clinic.
4. You will be expected to document an average of eleven hours per week on your cases towards the hours required for clinic credit.
5. This is a litigation clinic, and you will be first chairing your cases. Court appearances may require that you miss class.

Due to these requirements, you may not take another clinic or internship at the same time that you take the Domestic Violence Clinic.  

Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. An application is required.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. Students will also perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization as well as litigate in Travis County courts. Law students work alongside social work intern partners from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work to provide clients with holistic services for better outcomes.

The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders.   

In addition to regular class time, there are five additional mandatory time commitments for participation in the Domestic Violence Clinic:

1. Mandatory extra class session on Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. You may not participate in the Clinic if you do not attend the extra class. 
2. A one-hour weekly meeting with the supervising attorney.
3. You will be scheduled for 4 hours per week office hours/phone duty at the Clinic.
4. You will be expected to document an average of eleven hours per week on your cases towards the hours required for clinic credit.
5. This is a litigation clinic, and you will be first chairing your cases. Court appearances may require that you miss class.

Due to these requirements, you may not take another clinic or internship at the same time that you take the Domestic Violence Clinic.  

Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. An application is required.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. Students will also perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization as well as litigate in Travis County courts. Law students work alongside social work intern partners from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work to provide clients with holistic services for better outcomes.

The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders.   

In addition to regular class time, there are five additional mandatory time commitments for participation in the Domestic Violence Clinic:

1. Mandatory extra class session on Saturday, August 30, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. You may not participate in the Clinic if you do not attend the extra class. 
2. A one-hour weekly meeting with the supervising attorney.
3. You will be scheduled for 4 hours per week office hours/phone duty at the Clinic.
4. You will be expected to document an average of eleven hours per week on your cases towards the hours required for clinic credit.
5. This is a litigation clinic, and you will be first chairing your cases. Court appearances may require that you miss class.

Due to these requirements, you may not take another clinic or internship at the same time that you take the Domestic Violence Clinic.  

Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. An application is required.

NOTE: During academic year 2024-2025, the Domestic Violence Clinic will be offered ONLY during the Fall 2024 semester. The Domestic Violence Clinic WILL NOT be offered during the Spring 2025 semester.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. Students will also perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization. Law students work alongside social work intern partners from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work to provide clients with holistic services for better outcomes.

The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders.   

In addition to regular class time, there are five additional mandatory time commitments for participation in the Domestic Violence Clinic:

1. Mandatory extra class session on Saturday September 7, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM. You may not participate in the Clinic if you do not attend the extra class. 
2. A one-hour weekly meeting with the supervising attorney.
3. You will be scheduled for 4 hours per week office hours/phone duty at the Clinic.
4. You will be expected to document an average of eleven hours per week on your cases towards the hours required for clinic credit.
5. This is a litigation clinic, and you will be first chairing your cases. Court appearances may require that you miss class.

Due to these requirements, you may not take another clinic or internship at the same time that you take the Domestic Violence Clinic.  

Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. An application is required.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. Further, students will perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization.

The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders.   

In addition to regular class time, there are five additional mandatory time commitments for participation in the Domestic Violence Clinic:

1. Orientation will be the Saturday before school starts, August 26th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. This is a mandatory meeting. You may not participate in the Clinic if you do not attend the orientation class. Please mark your calendar now.
2. A one-hour weekly meeting with the supervising attorney.
3. You will be scheduled for 4 hours per week office hours/phone duty at the Clinic.
4. You will be expected to document an average of eleven hours per week on your cases towards the hours required for clinic credit.
5. This is a litigation clinic, and you will be first chairing your cases. Court appearances may require that you miss class.

Due to these requirements, you may not take another clinic or internship at the same time that you take this clinic.  

Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. No other clinics may be taken at the same time as this clinic. An application is required.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. Further, students will perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization.

The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders.   

In addition to regular class time, there are five additional mandatory time commitments for participation in the Domestic Violence Clinic:

1. Orientation will be the Saturday before school starts, August 26th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. This is a mandatory meeting. You may not participate in the Clinic if you do not attend the orientation class. Please mark your calendar now.
2. A one-hour weekly meeting with the supervising attorney.
3. You will be scheduled for 4 hours per week office hours/phone duty at the Clinic.
4. You will be expected to document an average of eleven hours per week on your cases towards the hours required for clinic credit.
5. This is a litigation clinic, and you will be first chairing your cases. Court appearances may require that you miss class.

Due to these requirements, you may not take another clinic or internship at the same time that you take this clinic.  

Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. No other clinics may be taken at the same time as this clinic. An application is required.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders. Further, students will perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization.  Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. No other clinics may be taken at the same time as this clinic. APPLY ONLINE: https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders. Further, students will perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization.  Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. No other clinics may be taken at the same time as this clinic. APPLY ONLINE: https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC.  Grading is Pass/Fail.  The clinical component of this course will involve student representation of domestic violence survivors in a myriad of legal problems, including custody, divorce, visitation, housing, protective orders, parole advocacy and occasionally in consumer and public assistance matters. The class sessions will cover the matters relevant in civil domestic violence cases: safety planning, comprehensive intake, case analysis and handling, investigation, negotiation, trial preparation, discovery, and temporary and permanent orders, including protective orders. Further, students will perform parole advocacy on behalf of survivors of domestic violence who are in prison due to their victimization.  Prerequisites: Students enrolling should not be on scholastic probation. No other clinics may be taken at the same time as this clinic. APPLY ONLINE: https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/

The EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS CLINIC IS A 6-CREDIT HR. CLINIC. Students in this clinic will represent low-income workers, who labor in Texas, in legal actions to recover unpaid wages for work they have performed, to combat workplace discrimination, and to enforce other basic employment rights. The clinic gives students hands-on experience with civil litigation, basic employment law, public interest practice, and the evolving fields of immigrant employment rights and transnational migrant worker rights.

Clinic students will serve as primary legal counsel representing immigrant and low-wage working people in federal and state employment litigation and administrative actions. Students will get the experience of working inside an independent public interest law firm and will be supervised and mentored by several expert low-wage employment lawyers. Depending on the requirements and the current litigation stage of each case, students will variously: interview and advise clients; investigate cases and develop legal action strategies; initiate and manage active litigation; negotiate with opposing employers and their lawyers; prepare litigation documents in the student's cases including pleadings, motions, and briefs; conduct discovery in the student's cases including written discovery and the taking of depositions; research legal issues; develop damages calculations; represent clients in hearings, court proceedings, and mediation; and negotiate and manage the final legal settlement or recovery of damages in the case.

The Employment Rights Clinic is conducted in partnership with the Equal Justice Center (EJC), a nonprofit public-interest law firm, based in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. The EJC is the leading law firm in Texas specializing in advocating for the rights of low-wage workers.

In this clinic, students devote the bulk of their clinic hours each week to handling active cases for real clients. This case work includes regularly scheduled office hours at the nearby Equal Justice Center office; regularly scheduled remote office hours in the EJC's remote law practice; regular case reviews with supervising attorneys; and essential conferences with clients. During the first week of the course, before starting their casework assignments, students will receive an intensive classroom orientation on low-wage employment litigation practice. Throughout the semester, the students' principal casework will be complemented with a regular classroom session that meets once a week for approximately two hours. The classroom sessions will explore various deeper aspects of employment law, rights of immigrant workers, effective litigation practice, and special topics in employment law practice for immigrant and low-wage workers. Classroom instruction will address the challenges of adapting U.S. law and legal practice to our increasingly transnational labor market. Subtopics include: U.S. labor and immigration policy; wage laws, employment laws, and contract law as they affect transnational workers; the tension between immigration laws and labor rights; rights of transnational "guest workers"; civil litigation and representation skills specific to immigrant worker cases; employment law practice as viewed from the perspective of practicing lawyers; ethical issues in employment rights representation; and evolving mechanisms for the enforcement of worker rights.

The clinic is open to students who have completed the first year of law school. While Clinic clients include U.S. citizens and immigrants from a wide array of continents and countries, a majority of clients are Spanish-speakers from a variety of Latin American countries. Spanish proficiency accordingly is very useful but is not in any way required. Questions about the clinic may be directed to Christopher Willett at christopher.willett@austin.utexas.edu. Please put "Employment Rights Clinic" in the subject line of any communication.

An application is required.

The EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS CLINIC IS A 6-CREDIT HR. CLINIC. Students in this clinic will represent low-income workers, who labor in Texas, in legal actions to recover unpaid wages for work they have performed, to combat workplace discrimination, and to enforce other basic employment rights. The clinic gives students hands-on experience with civil litigation, basic employment law, public interest practice, and the evolving fields of immigrant employment rights and transnational migrant worker rights.

Clinic students will serve as primary legal counsel representing immigrant and low-wage working people in federal and state employment litigation and administrative actions. Students will get the experience of working inside an independent public interest law firm and will be supervised and mentored by several expert low-wage employment lawyers. Depending on the requirements and the current litigation stage of each case, students will variously: interview and advise clients; investigate cases and develop legal action strategies; initiate and manage active litigation; negotiate with opposing employers and their lawyers; prepare litigation documents in the student's cases including pleadings, motions, and briefs; conduct discovery in the student's cases including written discovery and the taking of depositions; research legal issues; develop damages calculations; represent clients in hearings, court proceedings, and mediation; and negotiate and manage the final legal settlement or recovery of damages in the case.

The Employment Rights Clinic is conducted in partnership with the Equal Justice Center (EJC), a nonprofit public-interest law firm, based in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. The EJC is the leading law firm in Texas specializing in advocating for the rights of low-wage workers.

In this clinic, students devote the bulk of their clinic hours each week to handling active cases for real clients. This case work includes regularly scheduled office hours at the nearby Equal Justice Center office; regularly scheduled remote office hours in the EJC's remote law practice; regular case reviews with supervising attorneys; and essential conferences with clients. During the first week of the course, before starting their casework assignments, students will receive an intensive classroom orientation on low-wage employment litigation practice. Throughout the semester, the students' principal casework will be complemented with a regular classroom session that meets once a week for approximately two hours. The classroom sessions will explore various deeper aspects of employment law, rights of immigrant workers, effective litigation practice, and special topics in employment law practice for immigrant and low-wage workers. Classroom instruction will address the challenges of adapting U.S. law and legal practice to our increasingly transnational labor market. Subtopics include: U.S. labor and immigration policy; wage laws, employment laws, and contract law as they affect transnational workers; the tension between immigration laws and labor rights; rights of transnational "guest workers"; civil litigation and representation skills specific to immigrant worker cases; employment law practice as viewed from the perspective of practicing lawyers; ethical issues in employment rights representation; and evolving mechanisms for the enforcement of worker rights.

The clinic is open to students who have completed the first year of law school. While Clinic clients include U.S. citizens and immigrants from a wide array of continents and countries, a majority of clients are Spanish-speakers from a variety of Latin American countries. Spanish proficiency accordingly is very useful but is not in any way required. Questions about the clinic may be directed to Christopher Willett at christopher.willett@austin.utexas.edu. Please put "Employment Rights Clinic" in the subject line of any communication.

An application is required.

Taught in the Fall by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring. The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include: assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions forming for-profit and nonprofit entities applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status drafting and negotiating contracts providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff drafting lending and real estate documents assisting with intellectual property matters assisting with personnel policies Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, in-person teamwork, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and research and initiative on their cases. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking.

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons 2:30-4:30 pm. Four classes will run to 5:30 pm. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 12:00-3:30 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of 8 in-clinic office hours, over the course of three days from Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am-5:00 pm. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 17-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and clinic case work. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds.

Students should also note that teamwork is a key component of clinic case work. Students will be assigned to a team partner with whom they will work during the semester. Clinic casework is conducted in teams and students will be assigned to the same team for the semester. Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during the priority deadline as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration.

Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) will come in handy. An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught in the Spring by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director, and Miriam Khalifa, Clinical Professor. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include: assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions forming for-profit and nonprofit entities applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status drafting and negotiating contracts providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff drafting lending and real estate documents assisting with intellectual property matters assisting with personnel policies Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, in-person teamwork, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and research and initiative on their cases.

The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking. The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons 2:30-4:30 pm. Four classes will run to 5:30 pm. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 12:00-3:30 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of 8 in-clinic office hours, over the course of three days from Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am-5:00 pm.

The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 17-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and clinic case work. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds. Students should also note that teamwork is a key component of clinic case work. Students will be assigned to a team partner with whom they will work during the semester. Clinic casework is conducted in teams and students will be assigned to the same team for the semester.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during the priority application window as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) will come in handy. An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu) or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught in the Fall by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director and Miriam Khalifa, Clinical Professor. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring. The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include: assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions forming for-profit and nonprofit entities applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status drafting and negotiating contracts providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff drafting lending and real estate documents assisting with intellectual property matters assisting with personnel policies Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, in-person teamwork, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and research and initiative on their cases. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking. The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons 2:30-4:30 pm. Three classes will run to 5:30 pm. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 1:00-4:30 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of 8 in-clinic office hours, over the course of three days from Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am-5:00 pm. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 16-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and clinic case work. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds. Students should also note that teamwork is a key component of clinic case work. Students will be assigned to a team partner with whom they will work during the semester. Clinic casework is conducted in teams and students will be assigned to the same team for the semester. Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during the priority deadline as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) will come in handy. An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught in the Spring by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director, Heather Way and Miriam Khalifa, Clinical Professors. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.

Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include:

• assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions
• forming for-profit and nonprofit entities
• applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status
• drafting and negotiating contracts
• providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff
• drafting lending and real estate documents
• assisting with intellectual property matters
• assisting with personnel policies

Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, in-person teamwork, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and research and initiative on their cases. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking.  

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons 2:30-4:30 pm. Four classes will run to 5:30 pm. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 1:00-4:30 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of 8 in-clinic office hours, over the course of three days from Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am-5:00 pm. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 16-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and clinic case work. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds. Students should also note that teamwork is a key component of clinic case work. Students will be assigned to a team partner with whom they will work during the semester.

Clinic casework is conducted in teams and students will be assigned to the same team for the semester.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during early registration as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. 

There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) will come in handy.

An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught in the Fall by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.

Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include:

• assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions
• forming for-profit and nonprofit entities
• applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status
• drafting and negotiating contracts
• providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff
• drafting lending and real estate documents
• assisting with intellectual property matters

Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, in-person teamwork, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and research and initiative on their cases. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking.  

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons 2:30-4:30 pm. Three classes will run to 5:30 pm. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 1:00-4:30 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of 8 in-clinic office hours, over the course of three days from Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am-5:00 pm. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 16-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and clinic case work. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds. Students should also note that teamwork is a key component of clinic case work. Students will be assigned to a team partner with whom they will work during the semester.

Clinic casework is conducted in teams and students will be assigned to the same team for the semester.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during early registration as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. 

There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) will come in handy.

An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director, and Heather K. Way. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring. Students must register for Law 697C.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.

Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include:

• assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions
• forming for-profit and nonprofit entities
• applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status
• drafting and negotiating contracts
• providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff
• drafting lending and real estate documents
• assisting with intellectual property matters

Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and independent research and initiative. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking.  

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons from 2:30-4:30 pm. Three classes will run to 5:30 p.m.. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of eight in-clinic office hours, over the course of three days from Monday-Friday, 8-5. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 16-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and in-clinic office hours. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. 

There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) or policy work will come in handy.

An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught by Frances Leos Martinez, Clinic Director, and Heather K. Way. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring. Students must register for Law 697C.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing clients operating community enterprises -- small businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, nonprofit organizclientations, and community groups.

Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include:

• assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions
• forming for-profit and nonprofit entities
• applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status
• drafting and negotiating contracts
• providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff
• drafting lending and real estate documents
• assisting with intellectual property matters

Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and independent research and initiative. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking.  

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons from 2:30-4:30 pm. There will be one offsite class on a Friday afternoon or Saturday (at a time to be scheduled after the start of the semester). There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. In addition to class, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of eight in-clinic office hours, over the course of at least two days from Monday-Friday, 8-5. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 16-19 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and in-clinic office hours. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. 

There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) or policy work will come in handy.

An application is required. For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Director Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Program Coordinator (ecdc@law.utexas.edu).

Taught by Heather K. Way and Frances Leos Martinez. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring. Students must register for Law 697C.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.

Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include:

• assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions
• forming for-profit and nonprofit entities
• applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status
• drafting and negotiating contracts
• providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff
• drafting lending and real estate documents
• assisting with intellectual property matters

The Clinic also provides interested students with the opportunity to represent clients on public policy issues impacting small businesses and community organizations, including affordable housing. Prior projects have included drafting state legislative reforms to assist low-income homeowners access property tax exemptions, testifying before local and state legislative bodies, and advising clients on regulatory barriers.

Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and independent research and initiative. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, negotiating, contract drafting, and public speaking.  

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons from 2:15-4:15 pm (a few classes run until 5:15 pm), and also on Thursday mornings from 9:10 to 10:00 am for case rounds. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 9:00 am – 1:30 pm. In addition to class and case rounds, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of eight in-clinic office hours, over the course of at least two days from Monday-Friday, 8-5. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 17-20 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and in-clinic office hours. Attendance is required at the orientation and all classes and case rounds.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic. 

There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) or policy work will come in handy.

To apply for the Clinic, please submit the online application, available on the UT Law Clinical Education homepage (https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/). For additional information, you may contact the Clinic Co-Directors, Heather K. Way (hway@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1210) and Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1222), or the Clinic Administrator, Katy Thaler (kthaler@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1564).

Taught by Heather K. Way and Frances Leos Martinez. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. 6 credits (pass/fail) — offered in the Fall and Spring. Students must register for Law 697C.

The Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic provides students with a unique opportunity to develop business law and problem-solving skills while representing entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.

Students learn how to represent their clients on a broad variety of transactional business law matters. Typical legal matters include:

• assisting businesses with choice of entity decisions
• forming for-profit and nonprofit entities
• applying to the IRS for tax-exempt status
• drafting and negotiating contracts
• providing legal advice to nonprofit boards of directors and staff
• drafting lending and real estate documents
• assisting with intellectual property matters

The Clinic also provides interested students with the opportunity to represent clients on public policy issues impacting small businesses and community organizations. Prior projects have included drafting state legislative reforms to assist low-income homeowners access property tax exemptions, testifying before local and state legislative bodies, and advising clients on regulatory barriers.

Clinic students learn how to represent their clients through clinic classes, weekly team meetings with their clinic supervisor, and independent research and initiative. The Clinic classes emphasize the applicable substantive law; the larger social and theoretical context of the Clinic’s work; and the development of practical lawyering skills including interviewing, counseling, contract drafting, and public speaking.

The Clinic class meets on Monday afternoons from 2:15-4:15 pm (a few classes run until 5:15 pm), and also on Thursday mornings from 9:10 to 10:00 am for case rounds. There is a mandatory orientation class on the first Friday of the semester, from 9:00 am – 1:30 pm. In addition to class and case rounds, students are required to keep a weekly schedule of eight in-clinic office hours. The Clinic is a significant time commitment. Students are expected to devote an average of 17-20 hours a week to the Clinic, including class time and in-clinic office hours. There are no prerequisites for this clinic, although a background in business law (such as business associations, real estate, or tax law) or policy work will come in handy.

Enrollment is by application only. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic during early registration, as the Clinic fills up quickly. Students may request to be placed on a waiting list if space is unavailable during registration. Grading is on a pass/fail basis for this six-credit hour clinic.

To apply for the Clinic, please submit the online application, available on the UT Law Clinical Education homepage (https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/application-information/). For additional information, please contact one of the Clinic Co-Directors Heather K. Way (hway@law.utexas.edu, 512-232-1210) and Frances Leos Martinez (fmartinez@l.awutexas.edu), or the Clinic Administrator Katy Thaler (kthaler@law.utexas.edu), 512-232-1564).