Clinic: Civil Rights - Skills
- Semester: Spring 2014
- Course ID: 397D
- Credit Hours: 3
-
Unique: 29870
Course Information
- Course Type: Clinic
- Grading Method: Pass/Fail Mandatory
- Professional Skills: Satisfies ABA Professional Skills Requirement
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Corresponding Classes:
Meeting Times
Meeting information not available
Evaluation Method
| Type | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| None |
Description
CIVIL RIGHTS CLINIC IS A 6-HR. CLINIC. STUDENTS MUST REGISTER FOR BOTH 397C AND 397D Students in the Civil Rights Clinic will represent low-income clients in a range of civil rights matters, for example relating to discrimination in housing, employment or public accommodations, prisoners’ rights, or freedom of religion, speech and association. Cases and projects will be done in conjunction with Texas-based and national civil rights and liberties organizations, with co-counsel. Working under clinic faculty supervision, students will directly participate in civil rights litigation and advocacy. Through direct representation in both individual and multiple plaintiff cases, students will hone lawyering skills, including client and witness interviewing and counseling, fact investigation and analysis, negotiation, drafting pleadings and motions, depositions, and trial advocacy. Students will work on their cases in teams, meeting with supervising clinic faculty on at least a weekly basis. The mission of the Civil Rights Clinic is to engage students in contemporary civil rights litigation and advocacy while serving members of the community who may otherwise lack access to courts or justice. The clinic includes a classroom seminar, in which students learn relevant substantive and procedural law, and discuss the political and social contexts for civil rights litigation and advocacy. Students will also develop their analytical, research, and writing skills, and think through how to resolve legal problems effectively and ethically. The supervising faculty members for the Civil Rights Clinic are Clinical Professor Ranjana Natarajan and Clinical Instructor Ahmed Ghappour. The clinic is offered in the fall and spring, for six (6) credits, pass/ fail. Students must register for Law 397C and 397D, for a total of six credits. The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters. The seminar meets twice a week for a total of three hours. Students should expect to devote an average of 20 hours per week to casework and seminar preparation. To apply, interested students should send a cover letter, resume, and law school transcript to Sonja Hartley, the Administrator for the Civil Rights Clinic, at shartley@law.utexas.edu. In the cover letter, students should include their reasons for applying to the Clinic, any related coursework, work experience or interests, and a list of all academic, work, volunteer, and other commitments for the semester. Students should also include their UT EID and current contact information. For more information, see https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/civil-rights/.Textbooks ( * denotes required )
Procedures Manual
*
Professor provides materials
Natarajan, Ranjana