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The Family Law Clinic addresses issues of custody, visitation, child and spousal support, support arrears, health and life insurance, and the equitable division of marital property and debt in the context of divorce, separate support, annulment, paternity, modification, contempt, guardianship and adoption actions. Students participating in the Family Law Clinic also have the opportunity to work on cases involving domestic violence, mediations and/or same-sex divorces. In all cases the clinic prioritizes the representation of custodial parents, seeking to maximize the resources, income and the standard of living of the household with the children, through optimal child support, alimony and property division orders.
In this clinic, students interview and counsel clients, conduct factual investigation and legal research, develop case strategies, collect and analyze documents, conduct written discovery and draft, file and serve pleadings. In the course of a semester, students may have multiple court appearances in motion practice, restraining orders, pre-trial conferences, status conferences and hearings. Students negotiate directly with opposing attorneys, pro se opponents and in court-mandated "mediations." In cases scheduled for full trial, students conduct depositions, develop witness and exhibit lists, trial strategies, and a trial notebook, prepare, conduct the direct and cross-examination of witnesses, make opening statements and closing arguments at trial and draft post-trial briefs.
For academic year 2009/2010, students wishing to work in this clinic must enroll in Family, Domestic Violence and LGBT Law: Litigating in the Family Courts A (fall) or B (spring).
We also encourage interested students to concurrently enroll in: Legal Profession: Delivery of Legal Services (A or B) which satisfies the Law School's Professional Responsibility Requirement.
The Family Law Clinic is part of the Center’s Family and Children’s Law Practice Group. For more information on the Clinic, contact Nnena Odim, Clinical Instructor, nodim@law.harvard.edu, (617) 390-2586.
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