In a recent case the clinic helped defending the founding of a group home for Alzheimer patients in a residential neighborhood, which was opposed by the city. The latest addition to the clinic program is an arrangement with the St. Louis County Court to have students trained as court appointed special advocates for abused children. After conducting interviews with the children, their parents, family members, and teachers the students make recommendations to the court as to where the children should live. The impressive thing about the clinic is the amount of responsibility that is given to the clinic participants. When assigned to a case, students have to develop strategies and to fight for their clients just as an attorney would.
Memoranda have to be drafted, legal briefs to be written and documents to be filed with the court.
If it eventually comes to a trial, the assigned clinic participants have to appear before a judge and make their arguments in court. The return on investment for all the work is twofold.