Register for the Crime Victim Law Litigation Clinic
Limit: 6 students
Under the supervision of Executive Director Meg Garvin, and the lawyers of the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI), students learn both practical and theoretical approaches to the assertion and enforcement of victims’ rights within the criminal justice system. In a weekly 2-hour class, students learn basic victims’ rights jurisprudence, Blue Book citation, and trial and appellate level victims’ rights practice, including effective motion practice and general practice skills. Students also benefit from guest lectures by national crime victim’ rights experts and experienced crime victim attorneys and allied professionals (e.g. psychologists).
Through clinic participation, clinic students work to provide practicing attorneys and victim advocates information, research and legal analysis on victim law. These projects require the students to apply legal research, writing and analysis to live legal issues. Projects include researching and writing legal memoranda, drafting pleadings, and writing case summaries on victims’ rights-related issues and drafting model legislation. Students also have the opportunity to assist NCVLI in writing amicus curiae briefs for filing in state and federal trial and appellate courts nationwide.
The Clinic is open to all second and third year law students. The Crime Victim Litigation Clinic has a simple application process. Applications are due no later than June 10, 2011.
If you would like to apply, please submit the following four items to lawreg@lclark.edu.
1. A cover letter that identifies your expected graduation date, provides an e-mail address and telephone number where you can be reached in May and June, and specifically addresses these three points:
-your interest in, and/or background and experience with victims’ rights issues;
-your interest in, and/or background and experience with criminal law generally; and
-your interest in, and/or background and experience with advanced legal research and writing for litigation or public policy purposes.
2. Your resume;
3. Your transcript (this can be an unofficial copy); and
4. A writing sample not to exceed 5 pages (this can be your appellate brief from legal writing if this is your only writing sample, but please submit only those portions that you wrote).
Students will be notified of the decision regarding their application by the Registrar’s Office and the Registrar’s Office will then register admitted students.
This is a three-credit course, with grading on a pass/fail basis. In addition to in-class hours, students are required to work on projects a minimum of 8.5 - 10 hours per week, 6 of which must be in-person at NCVLI’s downtown office.
