The Institute provides a special opportunity for students to work closely with experienced lawyers on public interest law problems and to sharpen their lawyering skills. In particular, students will have an opportunity to improve their legal writing by having their drafts carefully reviewed and by having the opportunity to revise their work in response to comments. Students with an interest in public interest law as a career obtain first hand familiarity with the public interest law community and the kinds of clients, both individual and organizational, served by public interest lawyers. Regardless of a student's career goals, however, she will benefit from regular participation in the process of decisionmaking and the careful preparation of legal documents involved in all of IPR's work.

    Since most of the issues taken on by IPR involve novel legal questions, there is a good deal of policy debate, research, and collaborative work, as well as consultation with other public interest groups. In all of our projects, students assume extensive responsibility for the necessary legal analysis, decisionmaking and client contact.

    IPR is much more than an educational institution committed to the development of legal skills. By developing the ability to work collegially, building a common understanding of public interest work, and examining the processes of legal decisionmaking, IPR students have an opportunity to obtain a greater understanding of their personal roles as attorneys and the responsibility of lawyers in our society.

Student Selection Procedure

Please see the Clinical Course Application & Information packet for information on the student selection process.

Revised June 30, 2003 (ML)