Clinical legal education is the study of law and lawyering in context. Working with real clients with real problems allows law students to begin the lifelong process of becoming thoughtful, responsible, and reflective lawyers. Students working under the close supervision of their clinical professors are encouraged to identify and pursue their own learning goals while providing essential representation to a wide range of clients.
The goal of the Columbia Law School clinical program is to provide outstanding service to its clients while allowing students to begin the lifelong process process of becoming thoughtful, responsible and reflective lawyers. Students--working under the close supervision of their clinical professors--are encouraged to pursue their own learning goals while taking on the weighty responsibility of providing effective representation to a wide range of clients in important and often sensitive matters.
The clinical program has two additional goals. First, students are encouraged throughout their clinic experience to envision how legal institutions and practices can be reformed and reorganized to provide the best service to clients and the larger society. Second, clinic students provide pro bono service to clients who are unable to secure representation because of cost, the unpopularity of their causes or the complexity of their problems.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Clinic students draft pleadings and discovery motions, interview and counsel clients, mediate complex disputes and persuade an adversary or a judge.
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE - Students may want to learn to be more assertive, more tolerant or more collaborative as a lawyer. Students are encouraged to tackle problems, such as procrastination or disorganization, that may undermine their ability to be effective lawyers.
UNDERSTANDING INSTITUTIONS - Students represent clients enmeshed in such systems as corrections, environmental regulation, nonprofit governance or child welfare.
BENEFITING SOCIETY - Students work on behalf of clients facing human rights abuses, environmental neglect or racial discrimination. They confront legal problems that arise from poverty, racism, inequality and political tyranny.
