CECIL C. HUMPHREYS SCHOOL OF LAW

Clinical Legal Education

Clinic Faculty

Clinics

Now over 15 years old, the University of Memphis Legal Clinics bridge legal theory and legal practice. Utilizing the best available practices, Clinics focus on teaching essential legal skills experientially in a professional law office setting to third year law students. The program offers a limited caseload and close clinical faculty supervision, so that students are encouraged to be strategic, reflective and self-aware attorneys.

A beginning orientation of three weeks introduces student attorneys to substantive law, skills and ethics in the designated subject area. Each Clinic, however, allows student attorneys to develop CORE LEGAL SKILLS, regardless of subject area, making the clinical experience transferable to any area of practice. Critical emphasis is placed on client interviewing and counseling; fact and witness investigation; formal and informal pretrial discovery; negotiation and settlement; drafting of letters, motions, pleadings, briefs or legal documents; motions practice: using experts; mediation preparation; trial preparation and trial advocacy.

Each Clinic has chosen a CLIENT-CENTERED APPROACH, requiring the student attorney to put her or himself in the shoes of the client and view the client in that context. Student attorneys are introduced to HOLISTIC LEGAL PRACTICE, focusing on representation in all the forums in which the client might have a legal problem or need a legal solution.  The client-centered approach allows student attorneys the opportunity to explore the variety of roles lawyers assume in society, including trial attorney, negotiator, counselor, mediator, facilitator, community builder, legislative advocate, and officer of the court.

The Clinics emphasize the PROMOTION OF THE HIGHEST VALUES OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION as a complement to classroom instruction, as follows:

• Integrity

• Ethics and professionalism

• Holistic and collaborative approaches to problem solving

• Vigorous client and community service

• Social justice obligations

Housed in the downtown offices of Memphis Area Legal Services, the Clinics fulfill a critical COMMUNITY SERVICE by providing free legal services to under-represented clients, including children and the elderly and victims of domestic violence. Thus student attorneys develop first hand knowledge about the various ways they can promote social justice and use their law degrees in service to society.