Detroit Mercy Law Clinics

Detroit Mercy Law Clinics is a required program for law students at University of Detroit Mercy, in line with the university's emphasis on experiential learning and service to others. The university began offering clinics in 1965, and now offers several options all focused on needy clients.
Background
In 1965 University of Detroit's Urban Law Clinic was one of the first in the country. It is one of the few law schools in the country requiring a practicum course for all students. It has received numerous awards, most recently the ABA Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access with Meritorious Recognition in 2012 and the ABA Law Student Division’s Judy M. Weightman Memorial Public Interest Award in 2006.
Courses selected for the clinic component bring students in contact with the disadvantaged and disenfranchised, giving all law students at Detroit Mercy first-hand experience of social problems relevant to their specialization. In 2003 the clinic acquired a 28-foot long mobile law office, perhaps the first such facility in the country. In 2012 a downtown building was purchased and renovated for the clinic, bringing the clinic closer to the court buildings. At that time the clinic courses were serving over 1000 clients a year.
Clinics
UD law students must take one regular, semester-long "clinic" course that places them in contact with the underrepresented in an area of their choice, with options covering most specializations. The courses provide them with the skills and knowledge requisite for their clinical work, together with guided reflection and individual contact with the professor, including a comprehensive final interview.
Following are the clinic courses offered at Detroit Mercy, all of which fulfill the student requirement.
*Immigration Law Clinic. This serves immigrants seeking family sponsorship or Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, or advancing Violence against Women Act Petitions. Students represent clients in U.S. Immigration Court; other court experiences are the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
*Veterans Law Clinic. Students argue before the Department of Veterans Affairs for disability benefits for veterans.
*Criminal Trial Clinic. This prepares students for all aspects of defense in misdemeanor cases, including courtroom appearances and plea bargaining.
*Juvenile Appellate Clinic. Students argue cases before a panel of attorneys pre-trial and may be asked to argue the case in the Michigan Court of Appeals. Most cases deal with child protection or delinquency.
*Appellate Advocacy Clinic, State Appellate Defender's Office (SADO). SADO was founded to give "legal representation to indigent criminal defendants in post-conviction matters." Students prepare briefs to be delivered before the Michigan Court of Appeals or the Michigan Supreme Court, and may deliver their brief first in "mock arguments" before a panel of attorneys.

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