• Skills Classes
• Pacific McGeorge Legal Clinics
  • Administrative Adjudication Clinic
  • Appellate Advocacy Clinic
  • Bankruptcy Clinic
  • Elder and Health Law Clinic
  • Federal Defender Clinic
  • Housing Mediation Clinic
  • Immigration Law Clinic
  • Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic
  • Victims of Crime Clinic
• Field Placement/Externships
• Competition Teams
• Law Review & "The Globe" Journal

Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic

Goal of Clinic

The Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic provides students with the opportunity to co-mediate section 1983 prisoner civil rights cases with a federal magistrate judge. Under section 1983, prisoners in state prisons have the right to file a civil rights complaint seeking relief for alleged violation of rights protected by the Constitution or created by federal statute. Students will gain a working knowledge of section 1983 prisoner civil rights law and will learn effective mediation techniques in the context of prisoner civil rights cases.

Structure of Clinic

This year-long Clinic will consist of a seminar and detailed work preparing for and conducting these co-mediations with a federal magistrate judge. Students will review cases and files to select cases suitable for mediation and will conduct inmate interviews.

Prerequisites for Enrollment

A written application is required for this Clinic.

This Clinic is limited to third- and fourth-year students. Prerequisite: Mediation, Negotiation, or Alternative Dispute Resolution, or a non-credit basic 40-hour Mediation Workshop with the consent of the instructors.

Instructors

The Clinic is taught by Professor Michael Colatrella and Director of Legal Clinics Dorothy Landsberg. Professor Colatrella is a faculty member at Pacific McGeorge and a nationally recognized mediator. Dorothy Landsberg practiced employment and education law with a large law firm in Sacramento and is also experienced in mediation. For more information contact Professor Colatrella or Director Dorothy Landsberg.

Unit Credit and Limit on Enrollment

• The Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic is a year-long, graded course with three (3) units each semester.
• Enrollment in the Clinic is limited to eight students.

Why This Clinic Is Valuable

This Clinic provides an outstanding opportunity for students to learn both the theory and practice of mediation and to develop the skills necessary to serve as mediators, an essential skill for successful lawyers. Students will have the added benefit of working closely with District Court personnel.

Download the clinic's information sheet.