Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Clinics
General Information
What is a Clinic? How is it different from Trial Advocacy or an Externship?
A clinic is a law school course in which students are trained by law school faculty,
and then represent real clients and handle real cases under faculty supervision.
In Trial Advocacy, the clients and cases are simulated. Many externships primarily involve research and writing;
they less often involve working with real clients and cases.
An externship supervisor's primary focus is necessarily case work, while clinic faculty are paid to teach and work closely with students.
How will I be able to competently represent a "real" client or handle a real project?
During each clinic, students receive intensive training to prepare them to handle their cases and clients.
Students are taught the law, procedure and practice skills necessary to succeed in their cases.
Students practice skills in mock interviews, mediations, hearings and trials before they see their first client.
How do clients react to having law students do their legal work?
Most clients are very appreciative. Their clinic student interns may well be the only access the client has to legal representation.
Does taking a clinic satisfy my Public Service requirement?
Yes! Complete a clinic and your public service requirement has been fulfilled.
If I take a clinic, does that mean I can't do an externship?
Absolutely not! Clinic credits do not count against externship credits.
Students can take a clinic (or two) and still do 15 credits of externship work.
How are clinics graded?
The clinics are "graded" on a credit/no credit basis. However, when you are doing clinic legal work,
just passing is not good enough. All students are expected to perform at a very high level. Note: LL.M. students in the Federal Tax Clinic receive a numerical grade.
Clinics and Academic Scheduling
Please see the How to Register and
Schedule and Eligibility pages for more detailed information.
How big of a time commitment is a clinic?
Taking a clinic is a serious time commitment. Real people's lives will be at stake in the case or project you will be handling.
Clinic credits are roughly based on a ratio of 3 hours per week for each credit hour.
For example, in a 4-credit clinic, you would be expected to commit 12 hours of time per week, including class time.
While in a clinic, can I also work, be on law review, and/or have a life?
Some students have done all these things at once and been successful in a clinic. We don't recommend a schedule like that, but combining a clinic with one other major activity, like law review or a second job, is clearly doable. Bottom line: no matter what your schedule, clinic client work must get first priority.
May I take two clinics at once?
Generally, "no," but, if there is an opening in another clinic and no waiting list, you may be able to enroll in the second clinic with the permission of the instructor.
Can I take more than one clinic while in law school?
Yes, you may take more than one clinic and try out different practice areas while in law school,
if clinic openings are available. After having taken the first clinic,
you will be at the bottom of the priority list during the planning packet process.
How do I deal with the fact that some required courses are only offered at times that conflict with a clinic I want?
The administration works very hard to minimize conflicts between clinic courses and required courses.
To avoid conflicts, most clinic classes are held in the late afternoon. If your desired clinic presents a schedule conflict,
talk it over with your clinic faculty member; many times, there are ways to work around a conflict.
Are any clinics offered in the summer?
No. The clinics do hire summer interns to help with the cases over the summer, however. We welcome applications from work-study students.
If a clinic lasts for more than one quarter, can I enroll for part of it? What if I'm a 3L graduating early?
Our clinic courses typically last for two or three quarters.
General policy is that students must enroll in and complete all quarters of a clinic to receive clinic credit.
3Ls who have declared that they are graduating early are allowed to take a clinic for fewer than all quarters,
but only on an overload basis with prior written permission of the clinic faculty supervisor. There may be other exceptions, so it is best to check with the specific clinic faculty supervisor before registering.
CLINICS & COURSE PLANNING
What are the educational advantages of taking a clinic as a 2L?
After the "all classroom" focus of the 1L year, some students find that taking a clinic as a 2L is rejuvenating.
Working on real matters helps remind students why they came to law school
and helps them develop a focus for the remainder of their legal education.
In addition, students who find that experiential education really suits them
can use their 3L year to complete additional work for their clinic and obtain Advanced Clinic credit, take a second clinic, or pursue an advanced externship opportunity in the clinic subject matter.
On the other hand, 2Ls have less of a foundation of knowledge and skills to build on,
and some students find that more stressful than taking a clinic as a 3L.
Keep in mind that certain clinics are currently open only to 3Ls.
What are the educational advantages of taking a clinic as a 3L?
An alternative approach is to think of a clinic as a capstone opportunity that builds on a foundation
of substantive knowledge and skills development. During your 2L year, take foundational courses such as
professional responsibility and, for a litigation-oriented clinic, evidence.
In addition, take the required and recommended
courses for the clinic you are interested in. Then you'll arrive in your clinic well prepared to do work that has real consequences.
What is the effect of taking a clinic as a 2L on my eligibility for another clinic as a 3L?
3Ls who have not previously taken a clinic receive a preference for enrollment in a clinic.
If I want to take a clinic as a 3L, how should I best organize my 2L schedule?
Make sure that you:
- Take the prerequisites for any clinics that interest you
- Take Professional Responsibility (or be prepared to enroll in PR in the Clinical Context concurrently with your clinic, if it will be offered).
- Take a reasonable number of foundational "bar" courses, so that you do not enter your 3rd year panicked about making room for them. (Note that some of those courses will be recommended courses for the clinic, anyway.)
- Take one or more of our excellent array of simulation-based skills courses, such as Interviewing and Counseling, Negotiations, and Trial Advocacy.
We recommend a balanced schedule that each quarter includes one or two foundational "podium" courses, a skills course, and another course that will provide perspective on the legal system (legal theory or legal history) or that addresses a topic of particular interest to you.
How should I plan my schedule for the quarters I am enrolled in a clinic?
Clinic work requires you to interact with legal professionals – court or agency personnel, opposing counsel, volunteer supervisors, etc.
You will find that easier to do if your courses are not scattered throughout the day,
and you have blocks of two to four hours available for clinic work.
In addition, students in several clinics must be available at specific times.
CLINIC AVAILABILITY
How many clinic slots are available and how many students seek to enroll in a clinic during the planning packet process?
The precise number of slots available varies from year to year (clinic faculty may take sabbaticals,
become associate deans, or become unavailable for other reasons).
The number of J.D. clinic slots and students seeking a clinic in recent years has been:
| Academic Year |
Actual Slots (Fall & Winter) |
# Bidders for Clinic Slots
(Spring Lottery & Application Process) |
| 2008–09 |
118 |
187 |
| 2009–10 |
149 |
158 |
| 2010–11 |
158 |
206 |
| 2011–12 |
158 |
158 |
| 2012–13 |
137 |
169 |
| 2013–14 |
139 |
194 |
| 2014–15 |
160 |
168 |
| 2015–16 |
145 |
147 |
| 2016–17 |
148 |
174 |
| 2017–18 |
144 |
155 |
| 2018–19 |
139 |
167 |
| 2019–20 |
110 |
155 |
| 2020–21 |
111 |
177 |
| 2021–22 |
101 |
201 |
| 2022–23 |
111 |
206 |
| 2023–24 |
133 |
201 |
| 2024–25 |
124 |
197 |
How many students get into a clinic, even if they don'tparticipate in the spring planning packet process?
We don’t have precise numbers, but each year, some students who ultimately enroll in the clinics were initially waitlisted,
and others were offered slots but declined.
Applying to a Clinic
Please see the How to Register and Schedule and Eligibility pages for more detailed information.
Are there prerequisites for the clinics?
Some clinics do have pre- or corequisites. These are shown on the Schedule and Eligibility page.
The Civil Rights and Justice, Entrepreneurial Law, Federal Tax, Immigration Law, Regulatory Environmental Law and Policy, and Tribal Court Public Defense Clinics each have at least one course that is either a pre- or corequisite.
Recommended courses for each clinic are also shown on the Schedule and Eligibility page.
Will I be able to get into a clinic?
We have a large clinical law program
that accommodates most student demand, especially for students who do not limit themselves to only one clinic.
Students initially express their interest in a clinic by means of the application process during the spring quarter
"planning packet process." Not everyone is offered a clinic slot during this process,
but students naturally change their minds about which clinic they want to take, or when, as they learn more about their interests
and receive other opportunities. If you really want to be in a clinic, be proactive and persistent.
If you don't get into a clinic initially (or don't seek one and realize your mistake!), get on the waiting list.
Check with Academic Services regularly to see where you are on the waitlist. Let the clinic faculty member know you are still very interested.
And at the beginning of the term remind the faculty member of your interest. Show up for the first day of class — at that point,
faculty supervisors are permitted to take anyone in the room if there are openings.
Some clinic openings are typically filled by students who did not apply for a clinic during the planning packet process.
How does the selection process work?
The selection process and criteria for each clinic are indicated on the
Schedule and Eligibility page.
Don't be intimidated by the application.
The applications are online during the preregistration period and are quite short; they allow you to explain your background and how the particular clinic will meet your goals.
When you complete the online Clinics Request Form, the registration screen will link you to the pertinent application forms.
What do I have to do to sign up for a clinic?
Each rising 2L and 3L will receive an email from Academic Services on the day preregistration for clinics opens. The email will explain the process and contain a link to the initial registration screen ("Clinics Request Form"). All other required inputs are linked online, including the application forms.
When will I know if I got in, and what will the next steps be?
You will know whether you got into a clinic or not before you register for other classes.
Those selected will then accept or decline the offer, and additional offers will be extended to students on the waitlist.
In May and early June, many of the clinics will hold required meetings with selected and waitlist students to share information,
answer questions and ensure that students understand how the clinic works and will honor their commitment to enroll.