Track 2: Integrating a Clinical Experience into the First-Year Curriculum: Beyond the Legal Writing Course into the Doctrinal Curriculum

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Session Type: AALS Programs

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While legal education is attempting to
address deficiencies noted in the Carnegie Report about the lack of creating
"practice-ready" lawyers, much of the focus suggests pushing students
through necessary doctrinal courses as quickly as possible, and then building
skills development in the second year and live-client experiences in the
third-year. There is still inadequate discussion of introducing students to a
live-client clinical experience in the first year, and most of the discussion
that has occurred has suggested associating any clinical "experience"
with the legal writing course.
The "new normal" will initiate
clinical training in the first year of legal education. Rather than reserving
skills training to a simulation in the legal writing course, a live-client
clinical experience can be developed in conjunction with one or more of the
traditional first-year doctrinal courses, which we have done at Touro Law
Center, where, in our “Portals to Practice” program, first-year students work
closely with either unrepresented litigants seeking help with filing the papers
for a divorce or tenants seeking help with eviction proceedings. This panel
will explore the development of such a project, including the underlying theory
and pedagogy, practical applications, and thoughts for further development.
The goal of the session is to show the
development of one prototype for such a program. Professor Myra Berman will
discuss the development of the program, from the initial concept through
program development and execution. Prof. Lewis Silverman will demonstrate how
he was able to integrate preparation for the live-client experience into his
Civil Procedure syllabus. He will also offer suggestions for other types of
live-client experiences that can be integrated with other first-year doctrinal
courses.