Walking into the ceremonial courtroom on the 25th floor of the Everett M. Dirksen US Courthouse on December 14, 2017, Linnet Davis-Stermitz, ’18, knew that the scene before her was exceptional, although it would take several years and two federal clerkships to understand just how exceptional.
About the Clinics
The clinical programs operate through six distinct, autonomous units that function as separate 'law firms' with their own faculty and support staff:
- Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, which includes:
- Exoneration Project Clinic
- Innovation Clinic
- Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship
- Jenner & Block Supreme Court and Appellate Clinic
- Kirkland & Ellis Corporate Lab Clinic
In addition, there are two other clinics in which students work on behalf of clients in a supervised field placement at an outside agency and take a companion seminar at the Law School:
In 2016, the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic began working with East Chicago, Indiana, residents in their fight for a safe cleanup of the soil contamination that has harmed the area for decades. In a different project, the clinic represents Soulardarity, a nonprofit that helps residents in the Detroit area launch their own solar energy projects, advocate for reliable electricity service, and more.
On the surface, these two projects are very different.
Founded in 2009, the Kirkland & Ellis Corporate Lab (the “Lab”) provides students with “real-world” experience and context to prepare them to become well-rounded attorneys with sound knowledge and judgment.
The Jenner & Block Supreme Court and Appellate Clinic represented clients in several significant cases in the US Supreme Court this academic year.
The Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship (IJ Clinic) continued to be a lifeline for small businesses in Chicago in 2023-24 through our meaningful representation of low-income entrepreneurs, advocacy for economic liberty, and outreach to small businesses throughout the city.
General
The Innovation Clinic continued its track record of success during the 2023-2024 school year, facing unprecedented demand for our pro bono services as our reputation for providing high caliber transactional and regulatory representation spread.
Second- and third-year students obtain practical training through the Law School’s clinical and experiential programs, in which students represent clients and engage in other lawyering roles under the supervision of full time clinical teachers, faculty, and practicing attorneys. The Law School’s clinical and experiential programs give students an opportunity to learn litigation, legislative advocacy, and transactional skills.
Soo Park, class of 2014 and participant in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Project Clinic, describes the student experience in UChicago Law's clinical program.