COURSE NUMBER & NAME: 509 Legal Clinic -- Child Advocacy

CREDIT HOURS: Four (4) REQUIRED: no ELECTIVE: yes

PREREQUISITES (Required): Professional Responsibility and Evidence.

PREREQUISITES (Advised): Juvenile Law, Trial Advocacy.

WHEN OFFERED: Each semester (subject to funding).

SUBSTANTIVE COVERAGE AND OBJECTIVES OF COURSE:

See below.

RELATION TO OTHER OFFERINGS IN CURRICULUM:

See below.

RELATION TO BAR EXAM SUBJECTS:

Evidence; Professional Responsibility; Family Law.

RELATION TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:

See below.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS LEGAL CLINIC

THE CHILD ADVOCACY UNIT

Why Child Advocacy? 167,000 children under the age of 18 reside in Memphis. 55,000 of these children live in families having incomes under the Federal poverty guidelines. These children present practical representation problems not common to adults, and legal needs which demand practical training.

What skills training is offered? Student attorneys will develop skills in interviewing their child clients, their families, and other persons interacting with their clients, factual development of cases, legal research and writing, problem solving, written communications, negotiations, and preparation and presentation of cases at hearings. Student attorneys will become familiar with available resources to further the best interests of their child clients. Students will participate in "firm meetings" with their supervising attorneys and class members to discuss issues and progress in their cases, and will learn office management, case management and stress management skills. Students will have an opportunity to utilize their knowledge of the law of evidence and procedure, and will have an opportunity to consider and apply in a live client setting their knowledge of the Code of Professional Responsibility.

What types of cases are involved? Student attorneys will represent their child clients in Juvenile Court delinquency, unruly behavior, and dependency and neglect hearings. Students may also be representing children in cases involving child abuse, entitlement to government benefits, and education, e.g., the development of educational plans for special education children.

How many credit hours and grading? Clinic students will earn four (4) hours of academic credit for the semester upon satisfactory Clinic performance. The Clinic will be letter graded. There will be no final examination.

What prerequisites? Clinic prerequisites are Professional Responsibility and Evidence.

Time requirements? Child Advocacy Clinic student attorneys will attend orientation sessions at the Law School, as per the class schedule for the first three weeks of the semester. Thereafter, student attorneys will spend seven (7) hours per week (3-1/2 hours per day for each of 2 days) at times to be arranged with the Supervising Attorney/Instructor at the Child Attorney Clinic and with the Faculty Director. The Clinic will be conducted at the Clinic's downtown offices, located at 109 North Main, 2^nd Floor. Students are expected to spend ten (10) hours per week (which includes the 7 hours spend weekly at the Clinic) on Clinic activities.