Clinical Programs

About The Clinical Programs

Among its several missions, the School of Law strives to prepare students to be practicing lawyers. While traditional academic course work provides the foundation for skills training, the School of Law has multiple ways for law students to experience the actual practice of law in supervised settings.

A maximum of 12 credit hours may be gained toward the 88 credits required for graduation.

The Clinic Philosophy:

To paraphrase Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, the life of the law is experience. While still a student, you can experience the real practice of law in a variety of supervised settings by working with courts, attorneys and clients in actual cases. This is why clinics are sometimes referred to as the "classroom in the courtroom."

Clinic students have presented oral arguments on many occasions before the Ninth District Court of Appeals; represented clients in Federal District Court on Prisoner Civil Rights Cases; written briefs that are argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; and have helped small business clients with a variety of business law issues including contract negotiation, business planning and choice of entity.

Students who have graduated from the clinic have assumed various positions in, and as:

• State Attorney General's Office
• Court of Appeals Judicial Law Clerks
• Private Civil Medical Malpractice Firms
• Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial Law Clerks
• Public Defender Offices
• Prosecutor Offices

Small Entrepreneur and Economic Development (SEED) Clinic Practical, hands-on experience Direct client contact, real life issues Put your law school education to work SEED provides low-cost legal and business assistance to small and emerging businesses in the local community. -More

Street Law Street Law™, is the Akron Bar Association's award-winning, law-related education outreach program that has spread throughout Summit County schools since September 2000. The Akron Bar Association and The University of Akron School of Law provide attorneys and law students to teach in conjunction with high school teachers at a variety of schools in the Summit County area. -More