Law clinics are facilities run by law schools that provide free legal services to the public while training students in clinical law. Students gain experience handling real legal problems and work under supervision. Clinics can specialize in various areas of law and help communities with serious issues. Any citizen can visit a clinic for assistance, but there may be a waiting list. Clinics are popular and can make a huge difference in local communities.
A law clinic is a facility operated by a law school to provide free services to the public while training its students in the practice of clinical law. Law students work in a law clinic to earn college credit and gain experience handling real legal problems. Law clinics are popular in many different countries and can make a huge difference to local communities by offering pro bono services to those who cannot afford to hire a lawyer.
Some education experts believe that, like medical students, law students can learn best when they have the opportunity to put their skills to good use. By enabling students to meet with clients, file claims, research cases, and handle real-world cases, a law clinic helps entrench the knowledge gained in the classroom into future lawyers’ practice. Students usually work under strong supervision and are rarely allowed to argue oral cases in court. However, they have the opportunity to work closely with clients throughout learning the case, acting just as a professional lawyer would.
Legal clinics can offer a variety of different surfaces and can specialize in different areas of law. Some specialties may include tax law, immigration law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, and basic community civil legal services. A large law school in an urban area may operate several law clinics throughout the city, giving students the opportunity to test their interest and skill in different areas of law.
In addition to providing training experience for students, opening a law clinic can help a school become involved in community betterment. Lawyers are notoriously expensive in most cases, with the result that justice can often only be handled by those with sufficient funds. Legal clinics can help deal with serious issues in a community, such as domestic abuse, slum rentals, gang issues, and elder law issues. Some corporations and non-profit organizations provide grants to fund legal clinics in hopes of inspiring more schools to create these programs.
Any citizen can visit a law clinic for assistance, although in areas with multiple clinics, assistance may be divided by geographical area or legal matters handled in a particular location. While much of the work is done by students, it is done under regular supervision, so that clients can be sure they are getting fair legal advice. Such is the popularity of law clinics that there may be a waiting list for care; in an emergency situation, customers should try to explain the urgent need and ask if there is an expedited process.
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