John Marshall students now will have two more options for gaining real-world experience and for fulfilling experiential learning graduation requirements.
In November, the Faculty Assembly approved the Domestic Violence Clinical Advocacy Program and the Business Enterprise Law Clinic (BELAW). BELAW organizes the former Business Transactions Externship Program into a clinic, and will continue to be led by Michael Schlesinger. Professor Debra Pogrund Stark will direct the domestic violence clinic.
“The Business Enterprise Law Clinic and Domestic Violence Clinical Advocacy Program will provide our students additional opportunities to work with real clients on real legal matters,” said Anthony Niedwiecki, associate dean for Skills, Experiential Learning and Assessment.
In September, John Marshall instituted a three-credit graduation requirement that students undergo a clinical experience or an externship sometime during their last three semesters of law school.
Both BELAW and the domestic violence clinic will include a classroom component and will be available in spring 2014.
“The clinics will also provide a great service to the Chicago area,” Niedwiecki said. “BELAW will help businesses in underserved areas, and the domestic violence program will help victims with various legal issues at a very difficult time in their lives.
“Through these clinics, the students will gain the skills that are necessary to be practice-ready when they graduate.”