Clinical Legal Education

Many students at the Law School find that no experience is more rewarding than participation in the Clinical Legal Education program. Enrollment in a clinical offering allows students the ability to apply the substantive law learned in the classroom in a "real world" setting, preparing students to become effective advocates and practitioners.  Listen to Professor Maresca talk about the Clinical Program

Clinics

The Law School's clinics are for one semester (some offer a second semester option) and have weekly seminar and casework components. Credits vary in number from clinic to clinic, but most provide two seminar credits plus three casework credits. All clinics are upper level electives and require Fundamental Lawyering Skills (FLS) as a prerequisite, except for the Housing Clinic and the Urban Policy Clinic (FLS is a pre- or co-requisite for both) and the Mediation Clinic (FLS is recommended). Some clinics suggest or require other courses. To participate in a clinic, students must apply online by a deadline several weeks prior to registration. In advance of the application period, the Clinical Legal Education program will email to students an announcement of the online application availability, as well as details of application procedures and deadlines. Detailed descriptions of the clinics and clinic applications are available online on the Clinical Legal Education website at http://law.fordham.edu/clinics.

• Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions
• Community Economic Development
• Criminal Defense
• Family Advocacy
• Federal Litigation
• Feerick Center Social Justice
• Housing Rights
• Immigrants' Rights and Access to Justice
• International Human Rights
• International Law & Development in Africa
• International Sustainable Development
• Mediation
• Queens District Attorney Prosecution
• Samuelson-Glushko Intellectual Property and Information Law
• Securities Litigation & Arbitration
• Tax & Consumer Litigation
• Urban Policy & Legislative Advocacy

Simulation Courses

Simulation courses employ simulation or role-play technique, in varying degrees, to teach substantive law and/or specific lawyering skills. The range of skills taught include: case or matter planning, case theory development, fact analysis, interviewing, counseling, negotiation, mediation, witness examination, and argument. Students engage in simulation exercises designed to mirror real lawyering problems and are subsequently critiqued by the faculty member. Students also engage in self-critique and reflection. Many of the exercises are videotaped and reviewed during the critique process to provide the student with an in-depth, first hand account of her performance. All simulation courses are one semester offerings.

• Fundamental Lawyering Skills
• Child Abuse and Neglect: An Interdisciplinary Approach
• Domestic Violence: Law and Social Work
• Introduction to the Deal
• Trial Advocacy
• Advanced Trial Advocacy  

Externship Courses

Externships are one semester upper level electives. Each extern must complete 140 hours of fieldwork in the fall or spring (160 in the summer) for a judge, government law office, or nonprofit organization, and must enroll in the appropriate externship seminar (see seminar offerings below). Interested students must read the Externship Office's webpage at http://law.fordham.edu/externships for the policies and procedures of, and the support services provided by, the Externship Office (including externship requirements, application procedures, and deadlines). Permission of the Externship Office is required for enrollment.  Listen to Professor Beth Schwartz talk about the Externship Program

• Civil Externship
• Civil and Criminal Defense
• Criminal Justice
• Family and Child Advocacy
• Judicial
• New York City Council
• Prosecution
• Out-of-Town
• Stein Scholars