Professor James V. Rowan , who has devoted his career to representing poor people and their organizations, monitors and coordinates all of the clinical courses. Each of the clinical courses is broadly described below. The course offers students an opportunity to enhance their analytic, research and written advocacy skills, while at the same time learning about the certiorari process and Supreme Court capital punishment jurisprudence. Each student is generally assigned to a three-member team that manages an actual case in a local criminal court. The court assigns the cases to the Criminal Advocacy Clinic and each team's work is closely supervised.
Students interview and counsel clients, and advocate in the courtroom.
Students may also gain academic credit and experience representing battered women in complex family law cases handled in the Probate Courts through independent study and cooperative education placements at legal services offices, legal projects at battered women's shelters and other community agencies, and at the offices of private practitioners affiliated with the Institute. Throughout the fall and winter, institute staff sponsor a series of seminars and events to familiarize students with domestic violence issues, in general, and local abuse prevention initiatives, in particular. These poor people's organizations empower their members on issues of housing, work and welfare. Organizational goals are pursued through community education, individual and group advocacy. Clinic students are assigned to represent organizations, their members and individual clients who seek assistance.