Family, Domestic Violence and LGBT Law: Litigating in the Family Courts
Fall term, Block H
M 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Mr. Robert Greenwald
2 classroom credits LAW-36515A Fall
2, 3 or 4 required clinical credits LAW-36515C Fall
The Family, Domestic Violence, and LGBT Law clinical workshop provides students who are concurrently enrolled in the WilmerHale Legal Services Center's Family, Domestic Violence, or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Law Clinic, with the practical skills and substantive knowledge necessary to effectively advocate for their clients in and out of the courtroom. Objectives of the course include: developing practical lawyering skills to be applied in the clinical component and beyond; understanding the statutory and case law applicable in family law litigation; enhancing student understanding of the professional roles, values and ethics involved in the practice of law; gaining insight into the unique challenges of low-income clients, victims of domestic violence and the LGBT community, and analyzing and proposing legal advocacy approaches to contemporary family law issues. The course emphasizes a collaborative "health-law" approach to advocating for our client populations.
The workshop is hands-on and group oriented and most classes involve both small and large-group exercises and discussions. Throughout the course, we work on a hypothetical case from the initial client interviews through the final disposition of the case. In a series of simulated group exercises, students conduct in-depth interviews with the "client", write the necessary memoranda in the case, prepare a case and client theory, draft and file pleadings in the case, argue and defend against motions, conduct and respond to discovery, counsel the client as the facts of the case evolve, engage in settlement negotiations on the client's behalf, and reflect on ethical issues encountered during the course of representation. In addition, students will prepare a memorandum and conduct a presentation on one more of their active "real life" cases at the Legal Services Center and will lead class discussion on the cases and the larger ethical and legal questions they present. There is no final examination or final paper for this course. Students will be evaluated based on their preparation for and participation in class exercises and discussions.
A clinical practice component is required of all students. Clinical placements will be at the WilmerHale Legal Services Center. Due to the litigation emphasis of the clinics, students enrolled in this course are strongly encouraged to enroll for 3 or 4 clinical credits, however, students may also enroll for 2 credits. Enrollment will occur during clinical registration. Please refer to the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs (http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical) for clinical course registration dates and early add/drop deadlines.
For more information please call Robert Greenwald at rgreenwa@law.harvard.edu or (617) 390-2584.