Administrative Law Issues & Appeals Clinic

Students will operate in groups to research and field matters that involve nationally significant legal issues relating to federal agency policies, judicial review of federal agency action, and federal court doctrinal and interpretive methodologies. These matters will involve drafting appellate amicus briefs and engaging in agency-level advocacy. Students can expect a research and writing-heavy experience and to engage in strategic planning.

Credits: 4 letter-graded credits (one semester)
Types of matters/cases: U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals advocacy, federal agency rule-making advocacy
Skills gained: Strategic litigation, legal research and writing, appellate advocacy, regulatory advocacy.
Prerequisite or Co-requisite: 3Ls and 4Es; prior completion of Administrative Law (6400) required; completion or co-enrollment in Federal Courts (Law 6232) or Constitutional Law (Law 6380) recommended
Selection Process: Application review
Weekly Class: Tuesday 1:40 - 3:40 pm
Orientation: TBA

All students are required to attend a weekly course seminar. In the seminar, Clinic faculty provide intensive instruction on substantive law and practice to prepare students to represent their clients. Students also engage in a range of simulated exercises and applied cutting-edge administrative law scenarios. Students will meet regularly with Clinic faculty to review and discuss litigation strategy and client counseling. In these meetings, faculty review and give feedback on all documents, engage in mock preparatory exercises, probe students’ evolving strategies, and discuss ethical and professional responsibility issues. Faculty attend all initial client interviews, most subsequent meetings, and any court or agency-level appearances.

As a 4-credit clinic, students will be expected to invest an average time commitment per week of approximately 14 hours. That time requirement includes preparing for and attending the clinic seminar. Student Application Information Students will be selected based on their writing and work experience credentials, as well as their potential to provide high quality, client-centered legal services. Faculty will consider a student’s interest in, and commitment to, significant questions of law, public interest and legal service work, but such interest is not required.

Interested students must fill out the Uniform Clinic Application from the law school’s student portal website under “Clinics.”