This article was originally published by Cleveland Jewish News. Click here for their published article.

For law students, time spent in classrooms with faculty and other legal minds is incalculably valuable in the development of young lawyers. However, The University of Akron School of Law’s robust hands-on learning opportunities give students a chance to take their classroom learning into the real world.

Akron Law’s clinical programs are recognized regionally and nationally for both their impact on students and service to the community. Students come away with experience in real situations with real clients. That level of preparation allows Akron Law students and graduates to immediately contribute to their legal workplace and makes Akron Law students attractive and highly sought-after job candidates.

Among the best-known clinical programs in which Akron Law students participate is the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project. A collaboration with the State of Ohio and other law schools around the state, the Expedited Pardon Project gives qualifying applicants one-on-one assistance and allows them to bypass the waitlist for pardon consideration. Akron Law is one of the key partners in this program.

Akron Law students also work with clients through the Reentry Clinic, which seeks remedies to ameliorate the impact of convictions including pardons, court sealings, human trafficking expungement and Certificate of Qualification for Employment. The clinic provides valuable experience for Akron Law students seeking to make a difference in society, whether they intend to pursue a career in the public or private sector. Since its creation in 2013, the clinic has served an estimated 7,000 clients.

The Reentry Clinic has been recognized by the Association of American Law Schools as an “Innovative and Outstanding Program” and recently by The Ohio Supreme Court Reentry Task Force as an Ohio Promising Practice.

Other clinics offer similar opportunities for both Akron Law students and clients in the community.

Akron Law’s Trademark Clinic assists businesses and individuals in protecting their trademark rights. Students in this clinic conduct trademark searches, interview clients, file trademark applications, and respond to Office Actions. The Trademark Clinic is one of 60 clinics designed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to offer patent and trademark applicants access to pro bono services.

Through a partnership with Community Legal Services, the Civil Practice Clinic assists low-income clients who are experiencing housing problems. The Civil Practice Clinic has been recognized by Community Legal Services as “Law Firm of the Year.”

The Small Entrepreneur and Economic Development Clinic provides legal and business assistance to small emerging businesses in the local community. Assistance can include business planning, operating agreements and contract/lease issues. The SEED Clinic has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a “Legal Services Champion.”

The opportunity to work in these clinical settings, along with Akron Law’s other experiential learning options such as externships in public, private and nonprofit settings, is crucial for students who are graduating and eager to start their careers in the legal field.