American Indian Law Clinic, Professor Carla Fredericks
Represented the Standing Rock Sioux tribe to address issues raised by the Dakota Access pipeline.
"My clinic experience was valuable because it brought me out of the classroom and put me face-to-face with real clients. I now have context to give to my classroom experience. Classroom discussions often center on the theoretical and leave aside the considerations that are necessary when working with real clients. While the classroom teaches you how to think about the law, the clinic teaches you how to think about your client. In that sense, clinics have been, for me, the most effective means of teaching real advocacy.â€â€”Eric Dude (’19)
Civil Practice Clinic, Professor Norm Aaronson
Obtained a significant settlement for a physically disabled woman unable to work and advanced a case for a 15-year-old Nigerian immigrant seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile status.
“Clinic has been a great opportunity to learn practical lawyering skills while helping people in need. Most of my cases are family law or asylum, and it has been eye-opening to learn about these areas of the law while working with kind, hard-working clients who are seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Asylum cases are especially compelling—hearing my clients’ experiences of fleeing persecution in their home countries where they were detained and tortured for their political beliefs is heartbreaking. Nevertheless, I am moved and inspired by their resilience and determination, which makes working on their cases my privilege and pleasure." —Helen Oh (’19)
Criminal Defense Clinic, Professor Ann England
Advised newly arrested clients at jails across Boulder County as the only organization providing free criminal defense services for misdemeanor crimes in the county.
"In the Criminal Defense Clinic, I represented the downtrodden. We challenged suspect police conduct, freed people from jail, went to trial, and defended the Constitution. The clinic taught me more than how to argue motions before a judge or tell my client’s story to the jury. It taught me how to fight for my client’s dignity. I came to CU to become a public defender. Working with Professor England was part of this becoming true, and I was just hired by the Colorado Public Defender! The clinic gave me the skills essential to land the job of my dreams."—Cameron Bedard (’18)
Criminal/Immigration Defense Clinic, Professor Violeta Chapin
Organized a series of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal workshops to assist undocumented college students enrolled at colleges and universities across Colorado, and provided ongoing support to immigrants on campus.
“I was able to help clients in need at a pivotal moment in their lives. Not only was I able to work with underprivileged clients, but I was able to make a difference and actually help them. I learned about the difficulties in immigration law and the necessity for competent representation. Ultimately, my experience was valuable because it gave me an idea of what I can expect to see as an attorney. The clinic further strengthened my interest in representing underprivileged clients to the best of my ability.â€â€”Eddie RamÃrez (’19)
Entrepreneurial Law Clinic, Professor Brad Bernthal
Helped Boulder toy company Traxart file a patent for its idea.
"Taking a clinic has synthesized many ideas from other law school courses into one practical application experience. The Entrepreneurial Law Clinic’s classroom component has re-emphasized the law learned in other courses. These materials provide a great review of what I have learned so far, supplement concepts that I am concurrently learning, and preview courses I have yet to complete. By combining multiple courses into a single, real-world experience, law school theory is more easily digested, and the transition from law student to practicing attorney is more approachable.â€â€”Rachel Hammond (’19)
Juvenile and Family Law Clinic, Professor Colene Robinson
Assisted parents caught in the opioid epidemic, defended teenagers in delinquency cases, and filed custody actions for low-income mothers.
"Because of the clinic I have a much better idea of what my life will be like after law school, and it has given me the opportunity to find a passion I didn’t know was in me. I never thought that I would want to go into family law, but now I know that I love the interactions with the clients and other lawyers, the time at the courthouse, and the ability to not be stuck in an office all day. The clinic has shown me that I don’t need to follow the typical path of being an associate doing research for others, but that I can start being an asset to the world right away.â€â€”Jeremiah Jones (’18)
Getches-Green Natural Resources and Environmental Law Clinic, Professor Karin Sheldon (interim)
Protected and restored populations of endangered sea turtles by researching the direct impacts of climate change on the turtles’ nesting beaches on the Texas coast.
"Because of the clinic, I know that Colorado Law has provided me the tools necessary to be an effective legal advocate. Most notable is Colorado Law’s emphasis on critical thinking. With little legal experience, I was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar scope and substance of the assigned clinic project. Fortunately—as emphasized during 1L year—critical thinking overcame my lack of experience. Beyond getting me past a thought of ineptitude, critical thinking allowed me to offer our client a novel, and viable, solution to the legal problem presented to us.â€â€”Jordan Vogel (’19)
Sustainable Community Development Clinic, Professor Deborah Cantrell
Worked with resident owners in mobile home communities in Boulder to protect their interests and empower them with a sense of security.
"Because of the clinic I am much more confident in a number of different lawyering competencies. I feel comfortable starting a project from a blank slate, researching complex legal issues on my own, and speaking up at a city council or other meeting, even around people who have more experience than me. Clinic has exposed me to a number of different settings where ‘lawyering’ occurs in the community. I filed a Colorado Open Records Act request, drafted legally binding contracts, practiced my negotiation skills, spoke at a local government public meeting, and so much more.â€â€”Katie Saunders (’19)
Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic, Professor Blake Reid
Advocated to make copyrighted works more accessible to people with disabilities and protect security researchers investigating vulnerabilities in election security by filing petitions with the U.S. Copyright Office for various exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
"I now feel more empowered to explore and practice in areas of law I was unfamiliar with when I started law school. I learned the nuances of intellectual property and privacy law through clinic projects and seminar discussions with my peers on current events. After my experiences in clinic, I feel more confident in my professional and legal abilities to tackle unfamiliar or difficult assignments.â€â€”Susan Miller (’19)
Ìý
Pictured, L–R: Ann England, Carrie Armknecht, Carla Fredericks, Brad Bernthal, Colene Robinson, Norm Aaronson, Blake Reid, Deborah Cantrell, Karin Sheldon, Violeta Chapin
