How much of a time commitment is the Clinic?
Because the course is awarded five credits, students can expect to devote about 18-20 hours each week to the course.  This time would include class meetings, supervision meetings, office hours, case preparation, court time, etc.  However, more or less time may be required depending upon the needs of the clients and the professional demands of the cases, and the 18-20 hour average does not necessarily hold true for each and every week during the semester.

Can I hold a job and enroll in the Law Clinic?
Some Law Clinic students do work in other jobs, but those work hours must be fairly flexible and they must not be so many in number that the student cannot perform for Clinic clients.  A person who works twenty or thirty hours per week should not enroll in Law Clinic.  On the other hand, a person who works eight or ten hours a week probably will not have a problem meeting clinic responsibilities.  Students should also consider whether they have too many other courses or extra-curricular activities to devote sufficient time to the Clinic.  Clinic faculty will work with students to try to accommodate schedules, but the needs of the clients are given priority over other considerations.

If I have a low registration number, should I assume I won't get in the Clinic and not even try?
Some semesters, we have a maximum enrollment with students on a waiting list who never get in.  Other semesters, we have vacancies in the Clinic.  You should not assume you won't get in the course, even with a low enrollment number.  You will maximize your chances for getting in by trying to register in the Fall semester and the Spring semester, as we typically do not fill up both semesters during the year.

If I do register for Clinic and don't get in, will this prevent me from getting into another limited enrollment course I might want to take?
No.  You are not penalized for enrolling in the Law Clinic.  If you enroll and don't get in, the registrar will place you in the courses you have indicated you want in the event you don't get into your first-choice courses.

I wasn't planning to work on these types of cases as a career.  Will Clinic still benefit me?
Yes.  While some of our graduates to go into careers in legal services, public defender offices and other public interest work, most do not.  In the Clinic, you will learn about the process of lawyering - planning, problem-solving, litigation skills, interviewing, counseling and so on.  You will learn how to apply rules of ethics in real-life situations.  These skills are applicable to a variety of legal settings.  However, you must be willing and able to treat Clinic clients with respect and engage in zealous advocacy on their behalf.  If you are unable or unwilling to do so, you should not take the Clinic

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