Clinical legal education programs permit law students, acting under faculty supervision, to develop legal skills and learn professional values in actual practice settings. At KU, students can now choose from 11 different clinics and externships. Our menu of experiential education courses allows students to choose to learn in a variety of settings; it also has meant that each student who wishes to enroll in a clinic or externships has been able to do so at least once.
The clinical courses at KU come in two varieties. Our "in-house" programs involve students in client representation from offices at the law school itself, with full-time faculty and staff attorneys employed by the law school acting as supervisors. Our externship programs allow students to work under the supervision of attorneys, judges or legislators in the community. Each externship program also includes a classroom component taught by a KU faculty member.
The Criminal Prosecution Clinic is the School's oldest externship program. The Clinic assigns students to work at various local prosecutorial offices, the Kansas Attorney General's Office and the offices of the United States Attorney. Student interns assist prosecutors in virtually all phases of the criminal justice process, including criminal trials and appeals. A weekly classroom component, taught by a member of the law school faculty, as well as other experts in criminal law, accompanies the field-work. The Clinic is open to third-year law students for the fall/spring semesters. An application for fall/spring internships is here. Students may also enroll in the summer program. Both second- and third-year students may be considered for placement in the clinic during the law school's summer program. An application for summer internships is here. The uniform application cover sheet is available for download here. For further information, contact Suzanne Valdez at (785) 864-9268; suzmac@ku.edu.
Students in the Defender Project represent state and federal prisoners in appellate and post-conviction litigation in state and federal courts. The course is taught by law school faculty. Students enroll for two semesters, for four credits total per semester or for five credits during the summer. The course is open to second- or third-year students and satisfies the upper-level writing requirement. Download an application here. For further information, contact Jean Phillips (785) 864-5571; phillips@ku.edu.
Students in this clinic work under the supervision of attorneys from Kansas Legal Services in matters such as income maintenance, access to health care, housing, and consumer protection. Students also enroll in the Elder Law Research Project, in which they help prepare materials for the Kansas Elder Network, an Internet accessible database on elder law and gerontology. Students enroll in the fall and spring and receive three credits per semester for the clinic, and one credit per semester for the Elder Law Research Project. Download an application here. For further information, contact Marilyn Harp, Kansas Legal Services, (785) 233-2068; mmharp@ku.edu
The clinic provides students an opportunity to perform legal work under the supervision of a practicing attorney at pre-approved governmental agencies, nonprofit legal services organizations, and public international organizations. Each externship consists of a clinical experience and independent research. Students will work a specified number of hours per week under the supervision of a practicing attorney, maintain weekly reflective journals of their experience, and file a final report. For separate credit, externs must complete a one-credit independent research paper on a topic connected to their externship placement. For more information on the clinic, read a summary of the requirements here. An application is available for download here. The uniform application cover sheet is available for download here. For further information, contact Pam Keller at (785) 864-9274; pkeller@ku.edu.
Students provide legal assistance to clients referred from the Family Health Care Clinic in Kansas City, Kan. Students engage, under faculty supervision, in interviewing, counseling, negotiation and other aspects of the legal process. Cases may include health law, family law and immigration. Students work directly with one of the Family Health Care Center medical teams. Students enroll for a full year and receive three credits per semester. Download an application here. For further information, contact David Gottlieb at (785) 864-9213; gottlieb@ku.edu.
Students in this clinic serve as law clerks for state and federal trial judges. Students prepare memoranda and assist their supervising judges in various phases of the judicial process. A classroom component accompanies the fieldwork. The summer program is open to students who have completed their first year of law school; students enroll in both summer sessions and earn three credits per session; applications for Summer Judicial Clerkship positions are located here. The fall-spring program is open to students who have completed at least one year of law school; students must enroll in both semesters and earn three credits each semester; applications for fall and spring Judicial Clerkship positions are located here The uniform application cover sheet is available for download here. For further information, contact Pam Keller at (785) 864-9274; pkeller@ku.edu.
This course involves students in representation of indigent citizens of Douglas County in a variety of legal settings. Students represent clients in domestic relations, landlord-tenant, other civil actions, and serve as public defenders in municipal and juvenile courts. They are supervised by faculty and staff attorneys at the law school. The program is open to students who have successfully completed four semesters of law school. Students enroll in the course for two consecutive semesters and receive four credits per semester in fall-spring, and five credits in summer. Enrollment may occur in the fall, spring, and summer. Download an application here. For further information contact Charles Briscoe at (785) 864-5564; cbriscoe@ku.edu
Students are assigned as interns to state legislators during the legislative session. In addition to their fieldwork, interns participate in a seminar on the legislative process and write research reports. The clinic, open to second- and third-year students, is in the spring semester. No application is required. Students enter the clinic by following standard enrollment procedures for Law 955: Legislative Clinic. For further information, contact Richard Levy at (785) 864-9220; rlevy@ku.edu.
Supervised by the clinic director, students respond to questions from lawyers, policy-makers, publishers and others concerned with mass communications. The students analyze law, policy, regulations and ethics relating to the First Amendment and diverse media technologies. The clinic, open to second- and third-year students, is in the spring semester. No application is required. Students enter the clinic by following standard enrollment procedures for Law 959: Media Law Clinic. For further information, contact Mike Kautsch at (785) 864-5377; mkautsch@ku.edu.
Students enrolled in this clinic undertake thorough, in-depth policy studies in response to requests from public officials. Requests for balanced studies are coordinated through the Legislative Research Department and the Revisor of Statutes Office. The course is open to second- and third-year students in the fall semester. No application is required. Students enter the clinic by following standard enrollment procedures for Law 976: Public Policy Clinic. For further information, contact Richard Levy at (785) 864-9220; rlevy@ku.edu.
Students are assigned research projects from participating tribal courts. They provide research assistance to tribal court judges and personnel in projects that range from tribal code development, legal research and drafting of legal memoranda and judicial orders. The clinic is open to students that have taken Federal Indian Law; Sovereignty, Self-Determination and the Indigenous Nations; or Native American Natural Resources Law. This clinic also satisfies the Tribal Lawyer Certificate Program internship requirement. No application is required. Students enter the clinic by following standard enrollment procedures for Law 998: Tribal Judicial Support Clinic. For further information, contact Stacy Leeds (785) 864-9271; sleeds@ku.edu
