Child and Family Advocacy Clinic
This clinic focuses on the skills needed to represent clients,
ethical issues that arise in cases, and roles of counselor and
attorney. Under the supervision of clinical professors who are licensed
to practice in New Jersey and experienced in child dependency law
practice, students will represent children in child abuse and neglect
cases in Family Court in Camden. Students may also represent children in
administrative hearings and proceedings regarding public benefits,
education, immigration, medical, and mental health issues. Through
advocacy in court and other venues, students will help ensure that the
child welfare system is sufficiently addressing the safety, permanency,
and well-being needs of the clients. The ultimate goal for most, if not
all, clients will be to help make sure each client has a loving, safe,
and permanent home.
Children's Justice Clinic
The Children's Justice Clinic focuses on the skills necessary for client representation, the ethical issues that arise in cases, and the roles of attorney and counselor. Students represent juvenile clients in delinquency hearings, sentencing and postdisposition review, and associated legal matters.
Civil Practice Clinic
The law school operates a Civil Practice Clinic in which participating
students provide legal representation to clients under the supervision
of an attorney. Students have primary responsibility for each case and
act as lead attorneys at any trial or hearing. Students employ various
lawyering skills, depending on the needs of a given case, including
interviewing and counseling clients, making strategic decisions,
drafting pleadings and briefs, conducting negotiations, and
participating in trials.
Students assist indigent senior
citizens in consumer fraud matters, Social Security disability and
public benefits cases, and landlord-tenant eviction actions. They also
draft wills and advance directives. The Rutgers/LEAP Legal Project
provides representation and community legal education to the families
of children at the LEAP Academy University Charter School.
Domestic Violence Clinic
In the Domestic Violence Clinic, third-year law students represent
victims of domestic violence in complex domestic violence matters under
the supervision of an attorney. Students interview clients, prepare
documents, make strategic decisions, draft briefs, and conduct
hearings.
Immigrant Justice Clinic
The Rutgers Immigrant Justice Clinic represents immigrant clients in
cutting-edge matters at the intersection of immigration law and state
law. Many students will have the opportunity to appear in both Newark
Immigration Court and in state court as they assist their clients in
removal (deportation) proceedings and in related criminal law, family
law, or other civil legal matters. Law students fully assume the role
of attorney as they interview and counsel clients, advocate in court,
research and draft legal documents, and grapple with difficult strategic
decisions and professional responsibility issues. In addition to
engaging in individual client representation, students may also
undertake community education or policy advocacy projects. The Immigrant Justice Clinic is offered for 6 credits.
Small Business Counseling Clinic
In the Small Business Counseling Clinic, third-year students advise
entrepreneurs and small business owners who are referred to the law
school by the Rutgers–Camden Small Business Development
Center. Under the supervision of an experienced business lawyer,
students draft organizational documents for their clients, as well as
leases, employment agreements, and other business contracts.
