Public Interest Law

Public interest work includes “legal aid” practice and “targeted” lawyering. In the legal aid practice, lawyers represent clients at or near the poverty level in an array of civil legal issues. Targeted lawyering takes place when an attorney works for a non-profit or nongovernmental organization that advocates for one or more causes. In either the legal aid or targeted model, the lawyer generally will engage in one of a variety of activities: the direct representation of individual clients, general community awareness building, or advocacy/reform efforts.

Introduction

Today, lawyers choosing a public interest law career have many practice setting options. Traditionally, public interest lawyering was synonymous with a “legal aid” practice. In that model, lawyers represented clients at or near the poverty level in an array of civil legal issues.

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More recently, the concept of public interest lawyering has expanded to include targeted work in non-profit and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). These organizations may be local, state-wide, national, or international in scope. They often have a narrow focus, either on specific subject matter or a particular client population. For example, the organization’s mission may be to only handle death penalty post-conviction challenges or represent victims of domestic abuse.

In either the “legal aid” or “targeted” model, the lawyer generally will engage in one of a variety of activities: the direct representation of individual clients, general community awareness building, or advocacy/reform efforts. Many public interest lawyers find themselves doing a combination of types of practice over the course of their careers or, if they focus on one type of placement setting, moving within that environment between different case types or different activities.

A variety of factors may influence whether someone chooses to pursue a career in public interest lawyering. Some attorneys derive personal career satisfaction from ensuring that individuals’ financial status does not impair their access to the American justice system. Some lawyers derive career satisfaction by working in an environment in which there is a shared sense of “mission” with co-workers. Further still, some law students choose to attend law school in the first place because of their interest in a particular area of law, its application, or its reform.

Public interest law may also serve as a bridge for some attorneys; a public interest practice setting allows lawyers to gain exposure to, and experience in, a particular area of law before heading into private practice. For some attorneys, a public interest placement allows them the freedom to work in an area that interests them while still providing an economic safety net of a steady salary and benefits.

Further still, for some attorneys a law school clinical experience or internship was the catalyst. And for some attorneys, the existence of law school loan repayment programs for public interest careers was a tipping point.

Necessary Skills

Practice in either the traditional legal aid office or the specialized non-profit requires some shared core competencies such as effective communication skills and the ability to manage and prioritize work. Additional necessary skills, however, will vary by placement and focus.

For example, in the legal aid setting, some attorneys may have primarily a “litigation” docket because they are concentrating on family law cases. Expected skills for that attorney would include the full array of litigation advocacy competencies—developing a case theory, interviewing clients and witnesses, drafting and responding to pleadings, using alternative dispute resolution processes, conducting investigation and discovery, and trial advocacy.

Others in that same office may have primarily a “transactional” docket because they focus on estate planning. Expected skills for that attorney would include interviewing, drafting, and counseling clients in option selection. Still other attorneys in the same office may concentrate their practice on government benefits programs—such as obtaining disability benefits for a client—and so find their practice arena to be federal agencies with federal appellate review.

In the targeted placement, some attorneys may focus on large study projects and legislative initiatives, while others undertake impact litigation, and still others focus on individual client services.

Large study projects ordinarily include the collection and analysis of data that organizations publish and use first to explain why a particular problem exists and then to advocate various means to solve it. Legislative initiatives concern advocating for reforms to the law through legislative means.

Public interest organizations that undertake impact litigation attempt to use cases as vehicles for obtaining widespread reform. An example would be a challenge to the constitutionality of a law in the hope that a favorable judgment will impact certain behaviors (or failures to act) on a state or nationwide level. Class action lawsuits are sometimes used to foster change.

Each of the three mentioned targeted placements require its own set of skills (although some overlap may exist). Legislative initiatives require an understanding of the legislative process and legislative drafting. Impact litigation requires an ability to do case assessment and strategy, as well as familiarity with advanced litigation subject matters such as class actions. For individual client services, the expertise will largely depend on the type of services offered by the public interest organization. 

There is a wide gap in service delivery for those who can afford legal counsel and those who cannot. In Texas, there is one attorney for every 354 residents. That ratio changes to one lawyer for every 11,000 residents when the measure becomes available attorneys for Texans at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. There are more than six million people in Texas who qualify for legal aid.

Providers

The major pro bono legal service providers nationally, and in Texas, are Legal Services Corporation (LSC) offices. Texas has three LSC-funded legal aid offices that cover the entire State: Lone Star Legal Aid, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. Publically funded through congressional appropriation, LSC is a non-profit that was created by Congress in 1974. Its mission is to ensure equal access to justice under the law by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it.

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation is the leading funder of legal aid in Texas. Created by the Texas Supreme Court in 1984, it grants funding to more than forty organizations across Texas that provide free civil legal assistance to low-income Texans. All of these organizations provide potential employment opportunities for students interested in pursuing employment in legal aid lawyering.

Most Common Practice Areas

Given the vast diversity of the state, legal aid offices in Texas vary widely in their structure. These structural distinctions are reflected in the different “practice profiles” found in the attorneys working there. In the larger urban areas, legal aid offices tend to have “units” or specialized practice areas to which their attorneys are assigned. In rural areas, legal aid attorneys typically will have a more general civil practice that spans many case types.

Whether urban or rural, legal aid offices usually offer pro bono—which means there is no fee—legal services in family law (divorce, custody, and domestic violence), personal financial matters (consumer, tax, and bankruptcy law), housing, government benefits (social security and veterans claims, food stamps, and emergency assistance), estate planning and probate, specialized immigration matters, and ad hoc emergency matters such as disaster relief.

The career paths of attorneys in these offices also vary widely. It is increasingly common to find attorneys who have made public interest lawyering a long-range career choice.

“Targeted” Public Interest Lawyering

Practice in these settings can also vary greatly. Some entities are national, with smaller regional offices. Two examples are housed here at South Texas College of Law Houston: Human Rights First and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). Some entities have purely a state-wide or local orientation. Office size often dictates the profile of the practicing attorneys, and here, as with legal aid lawyering, it is typical to encounter a large number of recent graduates at the entry level.

Public interest groups undertake a spectrum of issues that is too vast to list in full. If there is a group or cause warranting advocacy or attention, chances are that there exists an organization advocating on behalf of that group or cause. For example, public interest attorneys advocate for immigration reform and assist unauthorized non-citizens, fight to enhance citizens’ privacy rights and litigate to curtail perceived government or private sector abuses, seek to defend citizens individually and collectively against various forms of discrimination, advocate for reform to the prison system, and try to protect against perceived infringements on citizens’ First Amendment rights.

Prospective public interest attorneys with specific interests and passions should take the time to research the broad array of public interest organizations operating in locations where they are willing to reside in order to find the correct fit and learn more about the particular platforms of these organizations. Even for those who do not yet have a well-defined practice area goal, careful research might lead students to learn about causes that had not occurred to them and pursue these causes as a public interest attorney in the future. 

Financial Considerations for Public Interest Attorneys

As a general rule, public interest lawyering is not as financially profitable as mid-size law firm private practice, even within the same sphere of practice. For example, an attorney with the bankruptcy unit of a legal aid office will not earn at the same income level as an associate in a boutique bankruptcy firm.

The income gap often narrows when contrasted with small firm or solo practice. In general, salaries for attorneys working in legal aid or specialized public interest organizations are on par with those for public interest legal employment within the government. For example, in many regions, a local state prosecutor and a legal aid attorney will have comparable starting salaries and ancillary benefits.

The creation of Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs) in the last decade has somewhat altered the economic landscape for public interest lawyering. With a strong LRAP program, law school graduates faced with large student loans who also have a commitment to public interest lawyering are not forced to select the higher salaries of private practice in order to meet their loan obligations. Not all states have LRAP programs and not all law schools have LRAP programs. Texas, however, does have LRAP programs, as does STCL Houston http://www.ifausa.org/members/group.aspx?id=146463.

How to Use the Public Interest Law Pathway

The pathway accompanying this subject overview provides a core class progression for those interested in public interest law who do not know the specific area or type of law in which they want to practice.

Based on the range of possible skill sets public interest attorneys may need to acquire, students would benefit from taking at least one pretrial litigation course (such as Texas Pretrial Procedure or Civil Pretrial Advocacy), one advocacy course (such as Civil Trial Advocacy), one drafting course (such as Contract Building Blocks or Contract Negotiations & Drafting), and one ADR course (either the survey course or one of the listed mediation courses).

Additionally, to ensure an understanding of the legislative and regulatory environment, students would strongly benefit from coursework in Administrative Law and Legislation. State & Local Government may also be beneficial.

Finally, STCL Houston’s Interviewing & Counseling class provides important skills for interacting with clients and gathering information, and Case Assessment & Strategy offers a useful platform for understanding impact litigation—and how to approach litigation in general. Other courses listed on the pathway are required classes that further aid the would-be public interest attorney.

The range of available public interest opportunities, however, is incredibly diverse. As a result, when students develop a firmer understanding of the particular type (or range) of public interest law they wish to practice, they should modify or supplement their course progression with classes that provide further relevant skills and subject matter expertise. (Indeed, enrollment in several clinics requires that students first take certain courses that are not listed on the accompanying pathway.)

For example, a student who wishes to focus his or her career on impact litigation should consider additional coursework in Class Actions & Other Advanced Litigation and Remedies. Conversely, a student who realizes that he or she has no desire to litigate need not pursue the spectrum of litigation courses listed on the pathway.

As a final illustration, students interested in estate planning or family law would benefit from supplementing the accompanying pathway with courses that provide substantive knowledge of these subjects (as well as applicable procedure). For many specific subject matters, there are additional subject overviews and pathways that can provide students with further guidance.

Given the numerous and divergent opportunities available to would-be public interest lawyers, all of the courses are listed on the accompanying pathway as “recommended” even though many will certainly be “core” to particular career paths.

This curricular pathway provides a progression of courses relevant to public interest law that are offered at South Texas College of Law Houston.

 
Core courses
 
Recommended courses
BARRelevant bar examination topic

Stage 1

Relevant bar examination topic.

Three semester hours credit.

The course focus is upon the basic understanding of criminal accountability that dictates, in other than strict liability offenses, the government must establish four basic components: a mens rea (or mental state), an actus reus (a prohibited act), a concurrence of the two, and causation. The primary offenses focused upon as well as their historical and philosophical development include homicide, non-homicide offenses against the person or against public safety, accomplice liability and inchoate offenses, theft and related crimes, strict liability offenses, and law of the parties. Attention will also be given to the presumption of innocence, burdens of proof, and a number of defenses, such as self-defense, defense of others, defense of property, and insanity. Additional topics covered may include theories of punishment, sentencing, constitutional limitations on penal legislation, historical development of certain felonies and defenses, the Model Penal Code, Texas criminal law, the role of prosecutorial discretion, modern federal criminal statutes, and regulatory offenses.

Relevant bar examination topic.

Four semester hours credit.

Introductory course on the history and objectives of civil litigation, including sources of law, case law and the doctrine of stare decisis, and the history and development of equitable remedies; the anatomy of a legal proceeding before, during, and after trial of a civil case, including basic jurisdictional concepts in federal and state court, the law applied in federal court, adjudication of multiple claims and cases involving multiple parties, discovery, pretrial procedures and disposition without trial; basic concepts and strategies regarding litigation; and the law of former adjudication.

Relevant bar examination topic.

Four semester hours credit.

Historical development of the federal constitution; the judicial function in constitutional cases; express and implied federal legislative power, including the Commerce Clause; express and implied federal executive power; doctrine of separation of powers; doctrine of delegation of powers; doctrines of federalism, including powers reserved to the states, federal preemption, and the dormant commerce clause; incorporation of the Bill of Rights into the 14th Amendment; the state action doctrine; substantive and procedural due process; the Equal Protection Clause; and procedures regarding constitutional amendment. (Material on the First Amendment’s freedom of speech and the press, free exercise of religion, the Establishment Clause, and right of assembly and freedom of association are covered in an upper-level First Amendment Law elective course.)

Relevant bar examination topic.

Four semester hours credit. Normally offered three times each academic year.

This course focuses on federal criminal procedure, and includes the constitutional and statutory rules defining the limits of permissible government conduct in the investigation, trial, and punishment of criminal suspects and defendants. Some attention may be given to those parameters that differ at the state level.

Relevant bar examination topic.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered three times each academic year.

History and development of the rules relating to presentation of proof and evidentiary matters pertaining to the judicial functions, with emphasis on the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Texas Rules of Evidence, including preparation for trial, examination of witnesses, competency of witnesses, types of evidence, burden of proof, hearsay rule and exceptions, judicial notice, privileges, and impeachment in civil and criminal proceedings.

Relevant bar examination topic.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year.

Texas civil procedure in trial courts from the prelitigation phase to the beginning of trial. Includes subject matter jurisdiction in the Texas courts, provisional remedies, prelitigation devices, jurisdiction over the person, venue, pleadings, parties, res judicata and collateral estoppel, discovery tools and techniques, and summary judgment and other methods of disposition without trial, as governed by Texas law.

Stage 2

Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered three times each academic year.

Organization and procedure of federal and state administrative agencies; boards and bureaus; distinction between legislative, executive and judicial powers; delegation of powers; requirements of due process; constitutional limitations; and judicial control over administrative agencies are among the topics covered.

Two semester hours credit. Offered periodically.

Examination of the organization and operation of legislative bodies, including the role of the executive, public agencies, and private groups in the legislative process; drafting of statutes; enactment, amendment and repeal of statutes; limitations on legislative power and statutory interpretation and the use of legislative history.

Three semester hours credit. Offered periodically.

Survey of the basic relationship between federal, state, and local government; state constitutional authority for local government; land use, zoning and planning; municipal budgeting and finance; rights and duties of public officials and office holders and government tort immunity and liability.

Two semester hours credit. Graded honors pass, pass, low pass, or fail. Normally offered as an intersession course.

Four-day skills workshop teaching students to assess cases and strategize during different phases of litigation: when deciding whether to bring suit, during settlement negotiations or plea bargaining, discovery, trial, and assessment of damages or sanctions. Decision trees, basic game theory models, discounted valuations of damages or liability, information costs, and trial sequencing are core skills taught. Students receive an introduction to relevant economic concepts like moral hazard, adverse selection, best cost avoider, the knee of the curve, risk allocation, Pareto Optimality, and negative externalities, which as litigators they can incorporate into a theory of the case or analysis of an opponent’s arguments. Strategies include calculating whether suits should be brought and when they should settle; calculating optimal initial demand amounts during negotiations; and using the sequence of issues in the upcoming trial itself to influence settlement negotiations beforehand.

Two semester hours credit. Graded honors pass, pass, low pass, or fail. Normally offered as an intersession course.

Examination of the attorney-client relationship, including establishing the relationship in the initial interview; billing arrangements; the importance of continuing communications; case analysis; decision-making; counseling with the client as to case development and strategy; preparation of the client for settlement negotiations as well as trial; termination of the relationship, including the collection of fees. Students will conduct several mock interviews throughout the course.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered three times each academic year. Enrollment limited to 24 students.

This course provides students an opportunity to develop, practice drafting, comment on, and redline the substantive portions of an agreement. The primary goal of the class is to teach students how to translate the terms of a business deal into contract concepts, and draft the contract to close the transaction. Specifically, students will learn how and when to use the basic contract building blocks: covenants, conditions, representations, warranties, rights, discretionary authority, and declarations. The basic parts of a contract will be analyzed in detail and students will learn how to (1) avoid legalese, (2) obtain clarity through document formatting and sentence structure, (3) prevent ambiguity, (4) understand the appropriate use of vague terms, and (5) use various other drafting considerations. Learning how the transactional attorney adds value to the deal by helping the client attain the client’s business goals while avoiding unacceptable risks will be covered as well as several typical ethics issues that arise in transactional work.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year. Enrollment limited to 24 students.

This course is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to: (1) identify issues that should be negotiated in complex business contracts; (2) draft several key provisions to be included in the final contract as negotiated; and (3) negotiate a “real” business contract. A variety of assignments help to assure each student completes a variety of tasks that need to be integrated based on an appropriate level of legal issue analysis resulting in an effective and usable work product. Skill development also includes an appreciation of business and legal risks that need to be dealt with when negotiating and drafting.

Relevant bar examination topic.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year.

Texas civil procedure in trial courts from the beginning of the trial through the motion for new trial with particular emphasis on pleading and practice in Texas and jury charge, jury and non-jury trial, verdict and judgment. Appellate procedure, method, nature and scope of appellate relief; appealable judgments; jurisdiction of appellate courts; procedure and parties; effect of transfer; supersedeas; records and brief; motion for rehearing review by the Court of Civil Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year.

Prerequisites: Must have completed 45 semester hours and have taken or be concurrently enrolled in Texas Pretrial Procedure. These prerequisites will be strictly enforced.

The structure of the course involves students in preparing a realistic civil case against an opponent. Students engage in all aspects of pretrial discovery and motion practice, including client interview, attempts to settle, drafting pleadings, paper discovery, taking depositions, procedural and dispositive motions, and pretrial orders.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year.

Prerequisites: Must have completed 45 semester hours and Evidence. These prerequisites will be strictly enforced.

Note: Students may receive credit toward graduation for only one trial advocacy course (Civil Trial Advocacy, Criminal Trial Advocacy, or Family Law Trial Advocacy).

The structure of the course involves students in trying a realistic civil case against an opponent. Students engage in all aspects of the trial, including trial motions, voir dire examination of jurors, opening statement, examination of witnesses and closing argument.

One semester hour credit. Graded honors pass, pass, low pass, or fail. Normally offered as an intersession course.

Provides students with mediation certificate training, during which students serve as third-party neutrals, settlement advocates and parties to the dispute. Emphasis is on the practice of mediation through intensive skills training. Students develop an appreciation both for the functioning of the third-party neutral and for the advocate’s role in the alternative dispute resolution process. This course is designed to satisfy the current 40-hour Texas requirement for mediator certification.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year. Enrollment is limited to 24 students.

This course examines mediation theory and practice. A variety of readings, exercises, and role-plays will be employed to encourage rigorous analysis of mediation concepts and critical assessment of the application of these concepts in practice. Topics to be covered include negotiation theory, stages of the mediation process, ethical issues in mediation, bringing parties to agreement, legal issues in mediation, dealing with power imbalances, and the lawyer’s role in the mediation process. Students will participate in exercises at various stages of the mediation process.

Two semester hours credit. Offered periodically.

This course first provides an in-depth study of negotiation because mediation is essentially a facilitated negotiation. Next, students will be exposed to mediation theory and process in order to gain an understanding of what is important while representing clients in the mediation session itself. Pre-mediation matters will be addressed including preparing cases and clients for mediation. The course will also cover advocacy during the mediation process. All students will have the opportunity to play the role of advocate in several in-class mediations. The goal of this interactive course is for students to develop the essential problem-solving skills for effective client representation in the mediation process.

Stage 3

Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below

Three or four semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses required for graduation (with the exception of the substantial writing requirement) and not less than 45 credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Criminal Procedure is recommended.

Students arrange their own placements in the office of the Harris County District Attorney, the district attorney’s office of neighboring counties, or with the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. Potential placement sections within the prosecutor’s office include felony, misdemeanor, welfare fraud, domestic violence, and environmental crimes. Depending upon the placement, and upon obtaining a temporary bar card, students may observe and participate in pretrial investigation, plea negotiations, and trial.

Three or four semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses required for graduation (with the exception of the substantial writing requirement) and not less than 45 credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Texas Pretrial Procedure is recommended.

Students arrange their own placements with local governmental agencies. Potential placements include the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the legal department of the City of South Texas College of Law, the Harris County Attorney’s Office, the EEOC, the IRS, the Office of Homeland Security, and many others. These placements provide access to the South Texas College of Law legal community and give law students the opportunity to expand their professional skills and identify challenging and fulfilling work possibilities.

Two semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of not less than 30, nor more than 44, credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average.

Students arrange their own placements with local, federal, and state judges on both the trial and appellate level, including probate, bankruptcy, and immigration courts. During the Judicial Process Clinic, students observe how the law works in practice, what lawyers do and what judges expect. All students will apply lawyering skills and improve their legal research and writing abilities while preparing legal memoranda, as required by the supervising judge.

Two or three semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses required for graduation (with the exception of the substantial writing requirement) and not less than 45 credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Texas Pretrial Procedure is recommended.

Students arrange their own placements with local federal and state judges on both the trial and appellate level, including probate, bankruptcy and immigration courts. During these clinics, students observe how the law works in practice, what lawyers do and what judges expect. All students will apply their analytical skills and improve their legal research and writing abilities through the production of legal memoranda.

Three or four semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses required for graduation (with the exception of the substantial writing requirement) and not less than 45 credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Texas Pretrial Procedure is suggested.

Students arrange their own placements with local nonprofit agencies or with charitable organizations. Potential placements include the Lone Star Legal Aid Society, the Texas Defender Project, Catholic Charities, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts, South Texas College of Law Volunteer Lawyers Program (HVLP), Children at Risk, the Cathedral Justice Project, and many others. These placements provide broad access to the South Texas College of Law legal community and give law students the opportunity to expand their professional skills and identify challenging and fulfilling work possibilities. Students with a particular interest in family law should contact Assistant Dean Elizabeth Dennis to inquire about the Family Law Internship Program (FLIP) where students work in private law offices on HVLP referral cases.

Students who have completed 60 credit hours, or have completed 45 credit hours and are concurrently enrolled in an academic internship, are encouraged to acquire a temporary bar card and thereby increase opportunities to apply their knowledge in practice under the tutelage and supervision of a licensed attorney.

Two semester hours credit. Maximum of eight students.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 45 semester hours and successfully completed Professional Responsibility.

This hands-on civil practice clinic focuses on educating non-lawyers about the law. While preparing and then presenting legal topics and concepts to a lay audience, Clinic students develop strength in discrete lawyering skills such as legal research, written communication, and oral communication. Clinic students acquire an understanding of basic adult learning theory as they hone their ability to tailor the nature, form and content of their communications to suit their audience. Under faculty and clinic staff supervision, students create, develop, and present informational materials in a variety of settings and to a range of potential audiences. In some semesters, the Clinic follows a “Street Law” model, while in other semesters participating students may focus on a specific legal issue of import to the community.

Three semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: 30 semester hours completed. Recommended: Criminal Procedure.

Students in the Actual Innocence Clinic investigate allegations of wrongful conviction based on claims of innocence, suggest strategies for relief on those cases, and study the root causes leading to wrongful convictions. In addition to work on individual cases, students research criminal justice practices, and when appropriate, recommend systemic changes and reforms.

Three semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: 45 hours completed.

Students in this clinic aid children and vulnerable adults – those who were forced into prostitution or labor by human traffickers, those who were abandoned in this country by their parents, and those who came here themselves to escape danger in their native countries. These cases present opportunities for students to hone lawyering skills in a variety of venues, including state court, federal agency hearings, and federal court.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year.

Prerequisites: At least 45 total credit hours.

Students represent the interests of children where the Texas Department of Family Protective Services has been appointed permanent managing conservator. Students interview their clients and various service providers, conduct home visits, and work to achieve the goals of the child’s permanency plan.

Three semester hours credit.

Prerequisites: 45 hours completed. Recommended: Family Law.

Students in this clinic work with organizations and agencies at the front line of direct representation of domestic violence clients. In addition to work on individual cases, students research root causes of domestic violence, its intersections in criminal/civil and family law practice, contemporary legislative and judicial responses, and the impact of domestic violence on diverse communities within the greater South Texas College of Law metropolitan area.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered three times each academic year. Maximum of eight students.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 45 semester hours and must have taken or be concurrently taking Wills, Trusts & Estates or a Probate Clinic.

This hands-on civil practice clinic targets skills development in client interviewing and counseling and transactional document drafting. These cases tend to be balanced between client counseling and intensive document drafting. There is some limited skill development in legal research, file documentation and maintenance, legal and case theory development, and professional development. The beginning of the course will teach students basic interviewing skills using classroom lecture components, simulations, a live-client file, and a supervised live-client interview in which students interview a client with modest estate planning needs. Subsequently and within the contextual setting of each client’s articulated needs and goals, students draft the appropriate array of seven potential estate planning documents.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered three times each academic year. Maximum of eight students.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 45 semester hours and Professional Responsibility.

Cases in this clinic tend to be simple divorces without children or any substantial property. This hands-on civil practice clinic seeks to develop a skills set in factual investigation, client interviewing and counseling, and document drafting (transactional and court-related). There is some limited skills development in legal research, file documentation and maintenance, legal and case theory development, and professional development. The beginning of the course teaches students basic factual investigation and interviewing skills using classroom lecture components, simulations, a live-client file, and a supervised live-client interview. Within the contextual setting of each client’s articulated needs and goals, students draft the appropriate transactional and court-related documents in anticipation of filing and prosecuting the case in a Harris County family district court. Student document assembly software discs are provided early in the class for loading onto student laptops, and complementary course materials are provided through a Westlaw TWEN course page.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year. Maximum of eight students.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 45 semester hours and a Family Law course or a Family Law Clinic.

Cases in this clinic tend to have more advanced, mixed issues than are found in Family Law Clinic-Basic, such as a divorce joined with contested property, children issues, parentage, grandparent access, post-judgment enforcement or modification, state agency involvement, or service in a court-appointed position (AAL or AMICUS). This hands-on civil practice clinic targets skills development in factual investigation, client interviewing and counseling, legal research, document drafting (transactional and court-related), file documentation and maintenance, legal and case theory development, and professional development. This course assumes some basic knowledge of family law substantive practice.

Two semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year. Maximum of eight students.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 45 semester hours and must have taken or be concurrently taking Wills, Trusts & Estates; a Probate Clinic; or the Estate Planning Clinic.

This hands-on civil practice clinic develops skills predominantly in the areas of client interviewing and counseling and court-related document drafting. This clinic tends to be heavily transactional. There is some limited skill development in legal research, file documentation and maintenance, legal and case theory development, and professional development. The beginning of the course teaches students basic interviewing skills using classroom lecture components, simulations, a live-client file, and a supervised live-client interview. Students interview a client seeking guardianship of the person over a proposed ward under supervised conditions. Subsequently and within the contextual setting of each client’s articulated needs and goals, students draft the appropriate transactional and court-related documents in anticipation of filing and prosecuting the case in a Harris County probate court.

Description coming soon.

Three or four semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year. Maximum of twelve students.

Prerequisites: Mediation Practice, Mediation Theory, or Mediation Theory & Practice.

Students serve as third-party neutrals in Harris County cases requiring dispute resolution procedures and also participate in a classroom component featuring simulated mediation exercises. Students may also participate in EEOC mediations. Throughout the semester, emphasis is on a broad-based exposure to the development, research, and practice of alternative dispute resolution.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered twice each academic year. Maximum of eight students.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 45 semester hours and Wills, Trusts & Estates; the Guardianship Clinic; or the Estate Planning Clinic.

This hands-on civil practice clinic develops skills in factual investigation, client interviewing and counseling, legal research, document drafting (transactional and/or court-related), file documentation and maintenance, legal and case theory development, and professional development. The beginning of the course teaches students critical factual investigation and interviewing skills using classroom lecture components, simulations, a live-client file, and a supervised live-client interview. Students conduct a supervised interview of a client seeking to transfer property from a testate or intestate decedent to potential beneficiaries taking into consideration estate assets, property characterization, estate liquidity, and debt. Subsequently and within the contextual setting of each client’s articulated needs and goals, students research the appropriate options consistent with the client’s goals, counsel the client in a supervised setting, and draft the appropriate transactional or court-related documents. If filing is anticipated, students prosecute the case in a Harris County probate court.

Three semester hours credit. Normally offered once each academic year.

Prerequisites: At least 45 total credit hours.

Students practice in the administrative law field as they assist clients in applying for social security and veteran’s benefits. Students interview and counsel clients, research federal regulations and caselaw, develop theories for the granting of claims, and draft applications.

James J. Alfini

Dean Emeritus

Professional Responsibility

Debra Berman

Director, Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution
Professor of Law

Mediation Practice
Mediation Clinic
Mediation Theory & Practice
Representation in Mediation

Josh Blackman

Professor of Law

Constitutional Law

Chuck Brownman

Adjunct Professor of Law

Contract Negotiations & Drafting

Catherine G. Burnett

Vice President
Associate Dean for Experiential Education
Director, Pro Bono Honors Program
Professor of Law

Access to Justice Clinic
Actual Innocence Clinic
Child Welfare Clinic
Domestic Violence Clinic
Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship
Mediation Practice
Public Interest Clinic/Academic Internship

Carlos Calderon

Adjunct Professor of Law

Access to Justice Clinic

Elaine A. Carlson

Stanley J. Krist Distinguished Professor of Texas Law
Professor of Law

Texas Pretrial Procedure
Texas Trial & Appellate Procedure

Lisa Dahm

Adjunct Professor of Law

Contract Negotiations & Drafting
Contract Building Blocks

Dan Downey

Adjunct Professor of Law

Civil Trial Advocacy
Entertainment Law

Matthew J. Festa

Professor of Law

State & Local Government

Ted L. Field

Associate Dean of Faculty
Professor of Law

Evidence

Sharon G. Finegan

Professor of Law

Evidence

R. Randall Kelso

Professor of Law
Spurgeon E. Bell Distinguished Professor

Constitutional Law

Katerina Lewinbuk

Professor of Law

Professional Responsibility

Betty J Luke

Professor of Law

Estate Planning Clinic
Family Law Clinic–Advanced
Internet Legal Research

James W. Paulsen

Professor of Law

Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure II

Jean F. Powers

Professor of Law

Professional Responsibility

Jeffrey L. Rensberger

Professor of Law

Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure II

Charles W. “Rocky” Rhodes

Vinson & Elkins Research Professor
Professor of Law

Constitutional Law

Robert Riddle

Access to Justice Clinic

Dru Stevenson

Helen and Harry Hutchins Research Professor
Professor of Law
Baker Institute Scholar at the Rice University James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy

Administrative Law
Case Assessment & Strategy
Legislation
Professional Responsibility

Amy D. Taylor

Adjunct Professor of Law

Civil Pretrial Advocacy

Cherie O. Taylor

Associate Dean For Academics
Director, Institute for International Legal Practice & National Security
Professor of Law

Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure II

Robert Todd

Adjunct Professor of Law

Legislation

Kenneth Williams

Professor of Law

Criminal Law
Criminal Procedure
Evidence

STCL Houston – Sponsored Resources

CAREER RESOURCE CENTER/STCL HOUSTON

Visit the Career Resource Center to learn more about its services. Students can reach the CRC in person or online. The CRC is designed to assist students at any time during their journey through law school. It should be an integral part of every student’s Pathway to Practice.

CLINICS/ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS

South Texas College of Law Houston offers numerous direct representation clinics and internship placements for credit.

Direct representation clinics offer students the opportunity to work on real-life issues and achieve resolution of a matter for actual clients. Some clinics are litigation-based and others are more transactional in nature. Students can hone lawyering skills that transcend a specific practice area. Additionally, students can learn about an area of practice, experience what it is like to appear before certain courts, and gauge whether they are truly interested in pursuing a career in a particular field.

Academic internships also offer students the opportunity to learn about practice in state and federal courts, governmental agencies, public interest groups, and non-profit and other non-governmental organizations. Additionally, academic internships can provide students with networking opportunities. 

Clinics/Academic Internships relevant to this practice area are:

  • Access to Justice Clinic
  • Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic
  • Child Welfare Clinic
  • Estate Planning Clinic
  • Family Law Clinic–Basic
  • Family Law Clinic–Advanced
  • Guardianship Clinic
  • Immigration Clinic
  • Probate Clinic
  • Veterans Clinic
  • Public Interest Clinic/Academic Internship

Fellowship Opportunities through the Clinical Program

South Texas College of Law Houston sometimes has fellowship opportunities. Recent graduates or alumni who have been practicing for several years are encouraged to apply when their experience and interests coincide with the job description.

COMPETITIONS

South Texas College of Law Houston has a nationally renowned Advocacy Program that has won more competitions than any other law school in the nation. Participating in one of the numerous mock trial and moot court competitions is certainly beneficial for anyone seeking a career in litigation. Many competitions concern problems in specific fields of practice that are particularly useful for students interested in pursuing a career in that area. More broadly, competitions provide students with an opportunity to further refine their research, writing, and analytical skills, which are relevant to practice in general.

The Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution coordinates many competitions each year in the areas of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. The program has developed a consistent track record of winning both domestic and international competitions, with more than ten first-place finishes in recent years. Students would benefit from participating in these competitions in the numerous fields of practice where alternative dispute resolution is regularly employed.

The Transactional Practice Center also coordinates several student competitions. These competitions are specifically geared to students who want to gain experience negotiating and drafting contracts, and learn about business transactions in general.

Law Reviews and Journals

Law reviews and journals provide tangible benefits on two fronts: acquiring skills and attaining employment. As to acquiring skills, law reviews and journals provide students with an opportunity to further refine their research and writing ability. Law reviews and journals can also help students secure employment because they serve as signaling devices for perceived research and writing skills—this is particularly true for large law firms, the judiciary, and certain government agencies. The student publications relevant to this practice area include:

  • South Texas Law Review

Student Organizations

South Texas College of Law Houston has numerous student organizations that focus on specific areas of law. Participation in a student organization allows students to learn more about the subject matter of the field and about employment opportunities. The student organizations relevant to this practice area include:

  • Pro Bono Program
  • Public Interest Law Society

External Resources

JOB LOCATORS

Databases and links that focus on providing information about employment in this practice area:

Fellowships

Fellowship programs sponsored by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and bar associations provide employment opportunities for students directly after graduation. The fellowship opportunities (as well as student internships) relevant to this area of practice include:

Additionally, both Human Rights First and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) have offices on the ninth floor of South Texas College of Law Houston. These public interest organizations regularly seek assistance from STCL Houston students.

BAR ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Bar associations and organizations—local, state, and national—provide students with many services. Most offer access to information about the relevant areas of law. At the local level, students can also benefit from the opportunity to attend events and conferences. Importantly, these events and conferences provide students with chances to network in the profession, which may lead to employment opportunities. These organizations also provide information on continuing legal education (CLE) programs that may be relevant to practice in different areas of law. The bar associations and organizations relevant to this field include:

Bar associations also provide students with opportunities to attend programs and network for free. Some bar associations have formal student sections that are free to join or they provide significant discounts to students. The relevant student pages include:

BLOGS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

A listing of websites that provide information pertaining to this practice area, often from a practice-oriented perspective:

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