Administrative/Civil Law Clinic
Criminal Law Clinic
Domestic Violence Clinic
Elder Law Clinic
Juvenile Law Clinic
Low-income Taxpayer Clinic

Mediation Clinic

Criminal Clinic
Faculty in Program: Donald North, Director and Professor of Law
(225) 771-3333
Dnorth@sulc.edu

The Criminal Law Clinic, SULC's first clinic, provides an opportunity for students to represent indigent defendants who have been charged with various misdemeanors and some relative felonies in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court. Students are exposed to and participate in every aspect of trial. The clinic's mission is to provide competent legal assistance and representation to indigent defendants in criminal misdemeanor and relative felony matters, to provide a practical forum for third-year law students to demonstrate their knowledge of theories learned in their criminal law and procedure courses, and to expose students to interaction with clients, lawyers, judges, and other professionals in the criminal justice system while the students acquire skills that are essential to the competent practice of criminal law.

The Criminal Law Clinic got its start in Baker City Court in the 1970s. The clinic was originally called the "Criminal Misdemeanor Clinic" and was limited to 25 third-year students who handled cases involving theft, assault, battery, and traffic violations, such as failure to yield and driving while intoxicated. SULC expanded the clinic in 1999 to meet additional student demands. The clinic, appropriately renamed the Criminal Law Clinic, was then assigned to the 19th Judicial District Court. Students are allowed to handle cases involving felony theft, driving while intoxicated, child desertion, simple and aggravated battery, criminal damage to property, criminal mischief, possession of marijuana, and various other drug offenses. This expansion was an appropriate enhancement for the student's knowledge and skills and gave them a more accurate view of the formalities of the criminal justice system..

Students are responsible for handling every aspect of the case from the initial client interview to filing motions, arguing various criminal statutes at hearings, conducting preliminary examinations, negotiating with the assistant district attorney, and trying the case. Currently the clinic is exploring the possibility of accepting more felony appointments by the court in an effort to allow students the opportunity to obtain jury trial experience.



Divorce/Domestic Violence Law Clinic
Faculty in Program: Marcia Burden, Assistant Clinical Professor
(225) 771-3333
Mburden@sulc.edu

The Southern University Law Clinic created a great addition to its five existing law clinics in 2003 when the Domestic Violence Clinic was implemented into the clinical education department. This clinic was the first step in the clinical education program's efforts to lead the fight against domestic violence and serve as the building block for educating law students, faculty, and the Baton Rouge community about domestic violence issues. The Domestic Violence clinic proved to be a huge asset to the community by assisting survivors of domestic violence with securing protective orders against their abusers.

In January of 2007, due largely to the great success of the Domestic Violence Clinic and the tremendous demand for legal assistance to the indigent population for obtaining divorces, the Divorce Clinic was created and combined with the Domestic Violence Clinic. This clinic affords the opportunity for third-year law students to gain valuable experiences in providing legal representation to clients in accordance with Rule XX of the Supreme Court.

Through the guidance and supervision of the clinical education professor, the student attorneys are equipped with the necessary tools to provide effective legal representation on behalf of their clients. Each student attorney demonstrates sound professionalism and ethical practices. The practical experiences of clinical education through the Divorce/Domestic Violence clinic provide the platform for student attorneys to apply their knowledge of legal writing, drafting, civil procedure and trial advocacy. The student attorneys are required to develop a professional attorney/client relationship, maintain files, draft pleadings and litigate in court as an advocate for their clients. The product of their diligent work result in securing orders of protection, permanent injunctions, child support, spousal support, child custody, divorces and/or the exclusive use of property.

The Divorce/Domestic Violence Clinic has proven to be a valuable asset to the community and student attorneys. The demand for service through this clinic has been confirmed through the voluminous telephone inquiries and the intake of applications. The student attorneys have expressed their gratitude for having the opportunity to learn through this clinic as well as provide access to justice to the indigent.

Elder Law Clinic
Faculty in Program:B Dorothy F. Jackson, Associate Clinical Professor
(225) 771-5745
Djackson@sulc.edu

The Elder Law Clinic provides third-year law students with an opportunity to gain understanding of the substantive laws affecting the elderly and actual litigation experience in several divisions of the 19th Judicial District Court. The clinic's mission is to provide access to justice to an ever-increasing number of elderly citizens who are unable to afford adequate legal representation and to provide classroom instruction and real-life cases to third-year law students in an effort to not only teach them how to become effective litigators, but also become respectable professionals with social consciences. Elder law students handle civil law related matters that may include: serving as court evaluator in Interdiction/guardianship cases; drafting wills, powers of attorney or other advance directives; consumer fraud; elder abuse/neglect or exploitation; family law issues; and probate/succession matters.

The Elder Law Clinic was created in the fall of 1998 and has expanded its services to include various cases ranging from divorce and grandparent visitation/custody rights to financial exploitation of the elderly. The clinic has developed strong working relationships with many local agencies and non-profit organizations, such as Capital Area Legal Services, Baton Rouge Bar Foundation, East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging and the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs. From time to time students are given the opportunity to participate in community outreach by assisting organizations with fund raising activities to help the poor elderly citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish as well as elderly group seminars and workshops. The Clinic receives many of its cases through referrals from those sources. Generally, the Clinic receives clients through a walk-in application process, but it also receives case appointments/assignments from the local district court.

Student-attorneys develop expertise in planning and drafting legal documents such as simple wills and powers of attorney. To complement classroom instruction and in an attempt to increase students' awareness of this fast-growing specialty, students meet local private attorneys, social workers and case managers handling elder abuse cases. The clinic also works with the Elderly Protective Services Division of Capital Area Legal Services. Working together in a supportive and collaborative effort, the Elder Law Clinic and community agencies and organizations are able to create a positive learning experience for each student and also help them develop the skills, knowledge and legal competence they need to enter practice.

The clinic was added to the Clinical Education Program in 1988. Its students handle a large number of delinquency cases each semester, including physical fights, extortion, prostitution, possession and distribution of controlled substances, aggravated assault, simple battery, armed robbery, possession of a firearm, simple and aggravated burglary, and misdemeanor and felony theft. The time limitation imposed by the Louisiana Children's Code for hearings and dispositions allows the Clinic to receive appointments of a large number of cases. In 1998 the clinic expanded its representation to include Families in Need of Services cases. In these cases the students can represent the child or the adult. The students also handle Children in Need of Care cases, wherein they represent parents accused of neglecting or abusing their children.

 

When students complete the classroom instruction, they are exposed to practical real-world issues that challenge private tax attorneys in their day-to-day law practice. Students have "hands on" experience in how to interact with the IRS and how to handle issues as simple as preparing a request for an extension to file an income tax return, or as complex as litigating in the United States Tax Court.

When students complete the classroom instruction, they are exposed to practical real-world issues that challenge private tax attorneys in their day-to-day law practice. Students have "hands on" experience in how to interact with the IRS and how to handle issues as simple as preparing a request for an extension to file an income tax return, or as complex as litigating in the United States Tax Court.

The caseload of the student attorneys in the Low-income Taxpayer Clinic can be as high as five cases during the semester. Although students do not prepare income tax returns, they come to understand how the tax return forms work and what forms to use in certain situations. The primary source materials for the clinic are the Internal Revenue Code and other documents and materials issued by the IRS.

Students are instructed on ethical issues as they apply to the client individually and the attorney’s representation of the client.

The Low-income Taxpayers Clinic gives the student attorneys a distinct advantage over students who must gain experience, skills, and confidence after entering the workforce.

Mediation Clinic

Faculty in Program: Alvin R. Washington, Assistant Clinical Professor

(225)771-3333

Awashington@sulc.edu

Southern University Law Center’s Mediation Clinic offers free conflict resolution services to individuals, organizations and groups.

The goal of the clinic is to explore mediation as an appropriate method of resolving disputes and as a tool for dealing with conflict. Alternatives to the adversarial process are becoming an integral part of the practice of law and will become even more so in the future.  Through classroom discussions and simulations, students receive extensive exposure to mediation theory and practice. Since mediation is “assisted negotiations”, the students are also taught transferrable negotiation skills. Once trained, they observe actual mediations, mediate with experienced mediators, and co-mediate cases with their classmates

Since its inception in 2007, the mediation clinic has added evening classes. Additionally, the clinic has established referral relationships with several agencies, including, the Attorney General's office, Advance Baton Rouge, the Better Business Bureau of Greater Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Department of Social Services, the Louisiana Agricultural Mediation Program, SULC Administrative Law Clinic, and the Baton Rouge City Court. As a result, mediation clinic students mediate various types of cases ranging from foreclosures and consumer complaints to landlord/tenants disputes.   On occasion they also sit in on personal injury or other insurance related claims. Lastly, the students have multiple opportunities to receive 40 hours of certified mediation training prior to the commencement of either the fall or spring semesters.