General Questions:
What counts as clinical work?
Why take a clinical course?
How do students learn in clinical courses?
I may go to a firm - are clinical courses for me?
Do I have to be enrolled in a class in order to do a clinical placement?
If I am in a class that has a clinical option, how do I sign up for the clinical?
If I drop a clinical, can I stay in the class?
Are all clinical sections open to 2Ls and 3Ls?
How many clinicals can I do per term?
What is a workshop?
Can I continue working on my clinical cases/projects during a subsequent semester?
If I already went through the security clearance process for the U.S. Attorney's Office, do I have to do it again?
Can I receive transportation assistance?
Does transportation time count towards my clinical hours?
Can I do clinical work outside of the US?
Credits:
How do clinical credits work?
What is the minimum and maximum number of clinical credits I can take?
What is the maximum amount of clinical credits that I can take while at HLS?
Do my clinical credits count towards my pro bono requirement?
Clinical Registration:
What is clinical registration?
Where can I find out about clinical offerings?
Are all clinical offerings in clinical registration?
How many clinical sections can I bid for in clinical registration?
How many clinical registration periods are there?
Other:
What clinical placements are available?
What clinicals have pre-requisites or co-requisites, like Evidence?
I was enrolled in a clinical section...what do I do now?
How do I set my work schedule?
Where can I obtain more information?
What counts as clinical work?
Clinical work must be law-related, and involve the application or interpretation of law, the formulation of legal policy, the drafting of legislation or regulations, or legal advocacy or representation. It should not be clerical in nature. All work must be supervised by a licensed attorney or a law professor.
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Why take
a clinical course?
The faculty of the Law School recommends "a balanced program,"
which includes, along with Constitutional Law, Corporations, Taxation and
Accounting in the second year, "...one or more courses with a substantial
clinical component anytime during the second and third years." Unlike every
other profession, law does not require a period of internship or mentored
practice experience prior to admission to full licensure. However, the early
months and years in the practice of law are critical to establishing a basis
for the development of sound skills and judgment and to inculcating rigorous
standards of professional ethics and practice. The faculty believes that
some part of this early training ought to take place within a purely educational
institution under the guidance of experienced professional mentors committed
to the learning and professional growth of every student. Thus, the faculty
urges students to take one or more courses with a substantial mentored practice
experience through the school's program of clinical education.
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How do students learn in Clinical Courses?
Harvard's approach to clinical legal education has three basic components:
Direct student responsibility for clients in a realistic practice setting :
Taking direct responsibility for clients in a realistic practice setting
produces intense motivation to learn. Students are active and engaged. They
are required by the situation to synthesize, to bring many aspects of their
law school learning to bear on a particular issue, not as an exercise or
test, but because there are real consequences for clients.
Supervision and mentorship by an experiencd professional mentor:
With responsibility comes the necessity for mentoring by an experienced
practitioner. Clinical opportunities increase the potential for teaching
and learning over traditional teaching methods alone and compliment lecture,
discussion and even simulation.
Companion classroom sessions in which clinical experiences supplement and contribute to further discussion and insight : Harvard Law School's unique approach to clinical legal education requires a classroom component where students and faculty explore doctrinal, practice or policy complexities and subtleties. Also, they begin to sort through the ways in which reflection and intellectual work sharpen and deepen the insights and understandings that percolate in provocative but incomplete ways in and around the practice experience itself.
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I may go to a firm, are clinical courses for me?
Clinical practice in law school is important to every student, regardless
of career goals. Every lawyer develops his or her craft and professional
values predominantly in practice upon leaving law school. From the perspective
of many different possible career paths, one or more substantial clinical
courses can be of great benefit to most students. In addition, the client
service that results from students' clinical work is a substantial contribution
to the greater Boston community.
If you expect to join
a firm . . .
While firms have the resources to offer training, the increasing demands
of senior attorneys limit the time that associates can spend with mentors.
Clinical work gives you the opportunity to learn how to use a mentor and
to get a better sense of how you best learn practice skills and thinking.
Many students who have joined large firms reported that they had a “head
start” as compared to peers who had not done clinical work. Their clinical
work gave them the confidence and experience to seek out the more interesting
and challenging assignments, including contact with clients, and to demonstrate
that they were ready and able to take on more responsible work sooner.
If you are interested
in public service, government or public interest careers . . .
If you are considering this career option, particularly immediately upon
graduation, you should take advantage of every opportunity to develop practice
skills. Over-worked government and public interest practitioners often don’t
have the time or resources to invest in training new lawyers, so you will
benefit from getting as much experience as possible in settings designed
to train you for practice. You will likely find several clinical placements
that will be directly relevant to the practice you plan to enter.
If you don’t know
what type of law you want to practice . . .
Clinical work offers you the chance to explore your preferences without
committing to a permanent position. At the end of the term, you can go on
to something else and you will usually have time to adjust first job goals.
Clinical work also allows you to get an idea of “what it would be like” to work in various types of law offices. Particularly if you do clinical
work as a 2L, you can use this information in your job search.
If you are not sure you
want to practice law . . .
Clinical courses offer an excellent opportunity for those of you who have
doubts about whether you want to practice law at all. You may find challenges
and satisfactions that you did not anticipate. Also, supervisors are a rich
resource of practice and career knowledge readily available to you and worth
tapping into to broaden the practice opportunities that you might consider.
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Do I have to be enrolled in a class in order to do a clinical placement?
Most clinical placements are offered only through certain courses in the HLS curriculum. Independent and continuing clinicals are the only programs in which clinical work is not attached to a class.
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If I am in a class that has a clinical option, how do I sign up for the clinical?
In classes with clinical options, there are a certain number of seats set aside for the class-only section and another number of seats allotted for the clinical section. Students must specifically enroll in the clinical section when first bidding (clinical course registration) or registering (add/drop period). Adding into the clinical section will register you for both the class and clinical components. Students who are in the class-only section and then wish to do a clinical must first inquire if there is availability in the clinical section, and then must switch sections.
If the clinical course section is full, students may add themselves to the waitlist without forfeiting their seat in the class. If notified that a seat has become available off the waitlist, the student must first drop the classroom-only section before adding the clinical course section (this is because the clinical course section will contain both the class and clinical).
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If I drop a clinical, can I stay in the class?
Clinical students are enrolled in the class through a limited number of seats set aside in that class for clinical students, called the clinical section. Students in the clinical section cannot drop a clinical and stay in the clinical section of the class. The class and the clinical components are required co-requisites of one another in the clinical section, and both must be dropped together. After dropping out of a clinical section, students may attempt to re-enroll in the class-only section if there is availability and the add/drop deadline has not passed.
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Are all clinical courses open to 2Ls and 3Ls?
Due to Massachusetts rules on representing clients in criminal proceedings, two clinical courses require students be in their 3L year: "Introduction to Advocacy: Criminal Justice" and "Introduction to Advocacy: Criminal -Prosecution Perspectives." Some clinical courses may also have additional restrictions, pre-requisites, or co-requisites; please see the Clinical Curriculum for specific information: www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical/curriculum.htm
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How many clinicals can I do per term?
Students may only enroll in one clinical per term for a minimum of 2 clinical credits and a maximum of 4 clinical credits (winter credits are set at 2). A maximum of 12 clinical credits can count towards the JD degree (see the 'Credits' section for more information).
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What is a workshop?
Certain placements require a 1 credit workshop in addition to the class and clinical. The workshops serve as a bridge between the theory taught in the classroom and clinical work. The Gender Violence and Title IX clinicals require this 1 credit workshop. If these workshops are required, students will automatically be registered for the workshop, or will be contacted about adding the workshop.
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Can I continue working on my clinical cases/projects during a subsequent semester?
Yes! Students who complete the original course and clinical can arrange to continue clinical work in a subsequent semester (even into another year) by applying for a Continuing Clinical. Regular clinical credit minimums/maximums apply, and approval of the clinical supervisor and faculty sponsor is required.
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If I already went through the security clearance process for the U.S. Attorney's Office, do I have to do it again?
Yes, typically security clearances for the U.S. Attorney's Office last for only 3-6 months.
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Can I receive transportation assistance?
The Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs does not offer transportation assistance. However, students can sign up for discounted T-passes through the Dean of Student's Office.
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Does transportation time count towards my clinical hours?
Time spent traveling does not count for clinical hours./p>
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Can I do clinical work outside of the US?
Yes, students may perform clinical work abroad during the winter term through the Independent Clinical Work Program.
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How do clinical credits work?
In addition to the credits you will earn for enrolling in a class, you will also earn clinical credits for the clinical work you complete. Although some courses have a required number of clinical credits, the majority of courses offering a clinical component will allow you to elect 2, 3 or 4 clinical credits. One clinical credit equals five hours of work per week at your placement site, with two credits as the minimum:
- 2 clinical credits = 10 hours of clinical work per week
- 3 clinical credits = 15 hours of clinical work per week
- 4 clinical credits = 20 hours of clinical work per week
For the Winter Term, credits are set at 2 and students must work full time (40 hours per week). This intensive schedule is necessary for students to attain an equivalent number of clinical hours that students perform in the fall or spring semesters (a minimum of 120 hours).
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What is the minimum and maximum number of clinical credits I can take?
In the fall and spring semesters, students must enroll for at least 2 clinical credits and no more than 4 clinical credits. In the winter term, students can only enroll for 2 clinical credits. (Some placements have different clinical credit minimums; please see the Clinical Curriculum Chart for specific credit minimums.)
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What is the maximum amount of clinical credits that I can take while at HLS?
Up to 12 clinical credits can count towards the JD degree. Please note that between clinical, cross registration, and written work credits, up to 16 credits can count towards the JD degree.
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Do my clinical credits count towards my pro bono requirement?
Usually yes, but not always. With the exception of a few independent clinicals and courses, clinical hours will count towards the Pro Bono requirement. The Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs will automatically calculate clinical credits into pro bono hours to place on students' records (2 credits = 120 hours, 3 credits = 180 hours, 4 credits = 240 hours).
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What is clinical course registration?
Clinical course registration (previously known as the "Lotteries") is a registration process in which students select preferences for clinical sections online through MyPlan. Clinical sections are named after and listed by the name of the feeder course offering a clinical placement (not by clinical placement). At the close of clinical course registration, student preferences will be processed simultaneously - it is not a "first-come, first-served" process. Students will be waitlisted for clinical sections higher on their list of preferences until the student can get into a clinical. Students who attain enrollment in a clinical section will automatically be enrolled for the class and clinical (and workshop, if applicable).
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Where can I find out about clinical offerings?
Students should review the online Clinical Curriculum for information on the clinical sections offered in an academic year.. The Clinical Curriculum will provide information on the feeder courses that offer a clinical placement and their class meeting times, class credits, clinical semesters, and placements offered through that feeder course. Also, students should make sure to review any registration restrictions listed under a clinical section, such as pre-requisites or year restrictions.
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Are all clinical offerings in clinical course registration?
If the instructor has set admission into the course or clinical section on a by-permission basis, students will not be able to enroll for that clinical section through clinical course registration. Such sections are specified as "By Permission" or "Not in clinical course registration" in the Clinical Curriculum. Enrollment instructions would be listed in the course description. Additionally, independent clinical and continuing clinicals are not included in clinical course registration because they require an application process.
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How many clinical sections can I bid for in clinical course registration?
There is no minimum or maximum to how many clinical sections students can bid for during clinical course registration. However, once the registration system is able to enroll a student in a clinical section in a given semester, it will not consider bids for other clinical sections in that same semester. Students may only do one clinical per term.
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How many clinical course registration periods are there?
There will be one clinical registration in April 2008 for fall clinicals, as well as winter or spring clinicals with a fall class. There will be a second registration in November 2008 for winter or spring clinicals (that do not have a fall class).
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What
clinical placements are available?
There is a wide realm of practice areas available through the HLS Clinical Program. Please see the Clinical Curriculum to see what kind of placements are offered by certain courses. To find out more about a certain clinical placement, please see our Clinics page.
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What clinicals have pre-requisites or co-requisites, like Evidence?
To check if a clinical has a pre-requisite or co-requisite, look under the clinical course listing in the clinical curriculum. Most clinicals do not have a pre- or co-requisite.
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I was enrolled in a clinical section, what do I do now?
If you're in a course that places students in a HLS program (Berkman Center, Child Advocacy Project, Criminal Justice Institute, Environmental Law clinic, Harvard Immigration and Refugee clinic at Greater Boston Legal Services, Human Rights Program, Mediation Program, and the Legal Services Center) you will receive information from the clinic about any orientations and when and where to show up. If you don't receive information by the first day of class, please contact the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs.
If you're enrolled in a clinical that places students in externships/non-affiliated HLS sites (nonprofits, governmental or other organizations), you will receive an email from Liz Solar in the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs about who to contact in order to arrange an initial meeting at the placement site.
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How do I set my clinical work schedule?
Students establish their clinical schedule around their class schedule. However, students must work a minimum of five hour blocks of time on any given day and are strongly encouraged to set aside 1-2 full days for clinical work.
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Where can
I obtain additional information about the Law School's program of clinical
legal education?
Because the law school’s program of practice based instruction is large
and complex, offering students many choices and opportunities, we suggest
you stop by the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs located on the first
floor of Austin Hall (102 and 108). Staff of the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs
counsel and advise students on course and placement selection; register,
admit and waitlist students for clinical courses; develop, monitor and evaluate
clinical placements; and oversee and coordinate the curriculum-based clinics,
student practice organizations and externship placements.
Please feel free to stop by our office at Austin 102, call us at 617 495-5202, or email us via e-mail clinical@law.harvard.edu.
We look forward to meeting and working with you!
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