For more than 50 years, the University of Tennessee College of Law has been a national leader in clinical legal education. Through its programs, UT has helped law students develop the lawyering skills and professional judgment they need after graduation. The College has also advanced the cause of justice over the years by serving thousands of indigent clients unable to afford a lawyer. Under a special rule of the Tennessee Supreme Court, third-year law students represent real clients under faculty supervision. The UT Legal Clinic has five full-time faculty members and serves 65 to 80 students per academic year.
Students handle both civil and criminal cases to broaden their range of lawyering experiences.
The students work in pairs with a faculty member who supervises eight students each semester. The Clinic handles approximately 400 cases a year. The College also offers mediation training for students which wish to settle disputes through negotiated settlements rather than serving as advocates.