LEGAL CLINIC: Legal Services

3 credit hours

COURSE NUMBER: LAW 6930-01

Professors: John M. Burman, Faculty Supervisor        Dona Playton, Assistant Faculty Supervisor

Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3

Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer (most students are on work-study during the summer)

Elective

Prerequisites: Successful completion of two-years of law school (must include Professional Responsibility)

Recommended Courses: Family Law, Domestic Violence and the Law, Civil Procedure, Evidence, Trial Practice.

Course Overview:

The Legal Services Program provides third-year students the opportunity to represent low-income clients with civil legal problems. Clients must qualify as indigent under legal services income and eligibility standards, and the Clinic takes no cases which would generate a fee, such as tort cases. Students also represent inmates at the Wyoming State Prison and the Wyoming Women's Center on civil matters. Accordingly, the clinic's caseload consists of juvenile matters (child abuse and neglect), domestic relations (divorces and custody disputes), appeals involving the denial of government benefits (social security, Medicare, etc.) and other miscellaneous matters. The Clinic is located at the corner of 21st and Garfield in the University Annex building.

In the summer of 2002, the Clinic expanded to include a Domestic Violence (DV) clinic. The DV clinic is also located at 21st and Garfield. Six students work in the DV clinic under the supervision of Dona Playton, the Assistant Faculty Supervisor of the Legal Services Program. Students represent victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in civil matters in which domestic violence is an issue. Such matters include divorces, child custody modifications, requests for domestic violence protection orders, or requests for civil stalking orders. Students in the DV clinic must either be currently enrolled or have taken the Domestic Violence and the Law course or be willing to get additional training, which may include taking the forty-hour SAFE advocacy training program the next time it is offered. Those hours will not count toward the 150 hours required for the clinic.

In the fall of 2004, the Clinic expanded to include ASUW Legal Assistance clinic. The ASUW clinic is also located at 21st and Garfield. Two students work in the ASUW clinic under the supervision of Dona Playton, the Assistant Faculty Supervisor of the Legal Services Program. Students represent fee-paying students at the University of Wyoming in civil matters (the Students’ attorney provides advice-only). Such matters include landlord-tenant issues, divorces, child custody modifications, requests for domestic violence protection orders, or requests for civil stalking orders (the ASUW clinic will not represent one student against another).

Students handle cases from beginning to end, including any necessary court appearances. Students represent clients in Circuit Court, District Court, and, occasionally, the Wyoming Supreme Court. Generally, every student who wishes to appear in court is able to do so.

The Clinic (including the DV and ASUW clinics) also involves a classroom component of approximately seven two-hour training sessions, held one afternoon or evening per week for the first half of the semester. Training sessions include client counseling, landlord/tenant laws, immigration, mental health issues, social services, victim’s rights, social security and the dynamics of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and domestic violence, representing clients in juvenile court matters, bankruptcy, etc., and are presented by the faculty supervisor and outside speakers. Part of the training will take place at a retreat. Students must attend the retreat.

Course Materials: Student Intern Manual and Course Materials Available on TWEN site

Course Format: Each student must be in the office at least five hours per week to answer the telephone and meet with walk-in clients. Additional office hours are necessary to complete casework, which includes meeting with clients, negotiating with lawyers, and preparing for and making necessary court appearances. Most court appearances are in state trial courts, either circuit or district courts. Common appearances involve representing persons seeking protection orders, contested child custody disputes, juvenile cases, and administrative hearings before a federal Administrative Law Judge (usually involving appeals from the denial of government benefits).

Written Assignments: Drafting all necessary pleadings.

Type of Exam: None

Basis for Grading Student Performance: Grading is S/U. Students must work at least 150 hours in the clinic, though most work many more, and finish all tasks to the satisfaction of the Faculty Supervisor.

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