The Law School offers the opportunity for students to experience a wide variety of cases in the In-House Clinic located within the School of Law. Students can represent abused children in juvenile court, litigate fair housing cases in federal court, conduct real estate closings for Habitat for Humanity or draft a will for elderly clients. Students are able to appear in court on cases under Missouri's Student Practice Rule. A full-time faculty member supervises the in-house students.
Litigation
Students assist with major federal and state court litigation. Most cases involve civil rights laws such as the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Other cases involve consumer fraud. Students also handle routine eviction cases and family law matters.
Mediation
Mediators facilitate negotiations between parties in an effort to reach a settlement without the need of a trial. Students are trained in mediation skills and then mediate landlord-tenant disputes and family law matters. Most cases handled by the students are resolved with an agreement by the parties.
Family Law
The Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry, located in the Clinic offices, provides students with the opportunity to handle a full range of family law cases. Students serve as Guardians ad Litem for abused and neglected children and represent battered women with orders of protection and divorces. They represent clients in custody and paternity cases and provide assistance to incarcerated women.
Homelessness Prevention
Students go into homeless shelters to interview clients about a variety of legal needs, then provide representation when necessary. Cases include public benefits applications, family law matters and minor criminal charges that can prevent the homeless from obtaining housing or jobs.
Community & Economic Development Transactional Clinic
Students provide direct representation to entrepreneurs, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and real estate developers. Students handle a range of transactional matters including business and nonprofit structuring and formation, internal operational issues, contract drafting and review, loan document review, employee management issues, regulatory compliance issues, and real estate matters.
Child Advocacy Clinic
Students assist with juvenile delinquency matters as the child's attorney, serve as Guardians ad Litem for abused and neglected children in orders of protection, and represent children in special education cases. Students also represent teen mothers facing abuse or neglect charges.
Elder Law Clinic
Students have the opportunity to provide legal services to elderly and disabled individuals. Students prepare estate planning documents such as simple wills and powers of attorney as well as represent clients in administrative hearings to determine eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Students may also assist clients who need to become guardians for disabled adults or for minors, petitioning the court to have the guardianship established and helping the client to fulfill ongoing responsibilities once the guardianship is in place. Students may also serve as Guardians ad Litem in other adult guardianship cases.
Saint Louis Zoo Partnership
The world-renowned Saint Louis Zoo is a leader in animal conservation and management, as well as a significant presence in the St. Louis community. Through our partnership with Lewis Rice & Fingersh, students are introduced to the inside workings of a major non-profit organization. Students gain experience in the areas of employment law, taxation, non-profit law and animal regulation.
