Clinic: National Crime Victims Legal Institute 756-S1

Under the supervision of Executive Director Meg Garvin, and the lawyers of the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI), students learn both practical and theoretical approaches to the assertion and enforcement of victims rights within the criminal justice system. In a weekly 2.5-hour class, students learn basic victims rights jurisprudence, Blue Book citation, and trial and appellate level victims rights practice, including effective motion practice and general practice skills. Students also benefit from guest lectures by national crime victim rights experts and experienced crime victim attorneys and allied professionals (e.g. psychologists). In addition to in-class hours, students are required to work on cases/legal matters a minimum of 8 hours per week at NCVLI’s downtown office.

Through clinic participation, clinic students work to provide practicing attorneys and victim advocates information, research and legal analysis on victim law. These projects require the students to apply legal research, writing and analysis to live legal issues. Projects include researching and writing legal memoranda, drafting trial and appellate pleadings, writing case summaries on victims rights-related issues for national distribution, and drafting model legislation. Students also have the opportunity to assist NCVLI in writing amicus curiae briefs for filing in state and federal trial and appellate courts nationwide. Students who are certified will also have the chance to represent victims on issues involving subpoenas for private information issued in criminal cases.

The Clinic is open to all students who have completed the equivalent of their first year of law school.

This is a three-credit course, with grading on a pass/fail basis.

Payment of a $40 Clinic fee is required. Students should pay by making checks payable to NCVLI on the first day of class. The fee will be refunded in full if a student drops the class during the free add/drop period of the semester. After that, no refund will be issued.

Students may request permission to complete the WIE writing requirement in this clinic.

The American Bar Association accreditation standards require students to regularly attend the courses in which they are registered. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and to prepare for classes conscientiously. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. Any attendance guidelines for a given class must be provided to students in a syllabus or other written document at the start of the semester. Sanctions (e.g., required withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment, and/or a failing grade) will be imposed for poor attendance.