DCSIMG

Appellate Advocacy Clinic

When Offered

Offered only during the Spring semester 2012.

Goal of Clinic

The Appellate Advocacy Clinic provides students with opportunities to represent indigent parents in juvenile dependency appeals to the 3rd Appellate District of the California Court of Appeals. The representation includes communicating with clients, reviewing the appellate record, drafting appellate briefs and presenting oral argument. Students will hone their skills in client counseling, record review, issue spotting, brief drafting, and oral advocacy.

Structure of Clinic

This one-semester, three-unit, graded Clinic will have two components: a one-hour, weekly seminar and the Appellate Advocacy Clinic. Both the seminar and the clinical work will be conducted on the Pacific McGeorge campus. Students will carry their own caseloads working with supervisors on appeals. Students will work with a partner on each appeal.

Prerequisites for Enrollment

A written application is required for this Clinic. Acrobat PDF Download the application.

To qualify for this Clinic, students must have completed Global Lawyering Skills II and have either completed, or be concurrently enrolled in, Juvenile Law. In addition, a student must be enrolled in, or have successfully completed, Evidence and Civil Procedure in order to meet the California State Bar certification requirements.

Acrobat PDF Download the Clinic general information sheet.

Instructor

The Clinic is taught by Professor Jennifer Gibson, with assistance from experienced staff attorneys from the Central California Appellate Program. Professor Gibson is a faculty member at Pacific McGeorge and maintains an appellate practice in Elk Grove, Calif. She clerked for a federal appellate judge. For more information, contact Professor Gibson.

Unit Credit and Limit on Enrollment

The Appellate Advocacy Clinic/Seminar is a one-semester, three-unit,
graded course.

Enrollment in the Clinic/Seminar is limited to six to eight students.

Why This Clinic is Valuable

This Clinic provides an outstanding opportunity for students to develop written and oral appellate advocacy skills while representing real clients. Indigent client representation is extremely rewarding. By the end of the semester you will be a skilled practitioner with actual written appellate experience under your belt. You will have the benefit of learning from very experienced appellate practitioners, and will have the opportunity to participate in a simulated oral appellate argument.