Course Overview
CLINIC DESCRIPTION
The Domestic Violence Clinic provides students with an intensive, challenging education in the art of trial advocacy, extensive hands-on experience with a wide range of substantive law, and the opportunity to alleviate a crucial community need for legal representation. Through course work and client representation, students are exposed to every phase of expedited civil litigation. Students litigate on behalf of their clients to obtain Civil Protection Orders (“CPOs”) that last for up to two years and can include a broad spectrum of relief designed to effectively end the violence in a family or dating relationship. For example, a CPO judge may direct an abusive partner to cease assaulting and threatening a survivor; to stay away from the survivor’s home, person and workplace; not to contact the survivor in any manner; and to vacate the parties’ shared home. The judge may also award temporary custody of the parties’ minor children, with visitation rights for the non-custodial parent, and child support, so that a survivor is not forced to return to an abusive partner due to economic necessity.
To prepare students to appear in court, Clinic faculty provide intensive instruction in fact investigation, interviewing and counseling, evidence, civil procedure, and ethics, as well as the civil, criminal, and family law applicable to domestic violence litigation. In the seminar class, students participate in exercises designed to develop and refine essential litigation skills they will put into action in court, such as conducting direct and cross-examinations, delivering opening statements and closing arguments, introducing exhibits into evidence, and engaging in negotiations. In addition, faculty work with students to develop a range of additional skills essential for professional excellence, including how to: communicate with various target audiences, exercise and convey empathy, engage in meaningful planning and reflection, and collaborate across difference. Additionally, students use their client representation experience to develop ideas about increasing access to justice and/or systemic reform.
Students work in teams of two and represent several clients during the course of the semester. Students are fully responsible for all aspects of client representation, from conducting the initial intake interview to investigating facts, drafting a complaint, preparing witnesses for testimony, crafting trial materials, and negotiating a consent CPO or taking the case to trial. By assuming the role of lead lawyer, and taking on the responsibilities that flow from that role, students have the greatest opportunity to grow into their strongest professional selves during Clinic. At the same time, each student team has frequent meetings with a Clinic faculty supervisor to review and discuss litigation strategy, client counseling, and other issues that may arise during the course of client representation. Students receive intensive feedback and support from their supervisors on drafts of court documents, as well as on interviewing, counseling, witness examination, and negotiation plans.
In nearly every case, students have the opportunity to put the client on the witness stand, present direct testimony, and argue their client’s case in an initial ex parte Temporary Protection Order hearing. While many final CPO cases end with a negotiated consent agreement, many are resolved through trial. Trials can last several hours to several days and provide students with the opportunity to present witness testimony through direct examination, introduce exhibits into evidence (including photographs, text messages, voice mail recordings, and recordings of 911 calls), and conduct cross-examinations. Students leave the Clinic with real expertise in conducting a trial and moving around a courtroom.
TIME COMMITMENT
Over the years, students have found their Clinic semester to be one of the most intense, exciting, exhausting, and rewarding experiences of their lives. The benefits are substantial – by the time students complete the Clinic, they are likely to have more trial experience than most attorneys many years out of law school. Yet, enrollment in this litigation-intensive Clinic requires that students commit to fulfilling extensive demands on their time. Students have some opportunity for vacation time during their Clinic semester, but because they are representing clients in fast-paced, emergency cases, students must obtain faculty permission before making plans to leave town, even during school vacations and weekends. Although it is unusual, students may be required to continue with case work during the reading and exam period.
Students participating in either the Fall or Spring semesters of the Clinic will need to return to school the week before classes begin for Clinic Orientation. The DVC faculty will hold intensive preparatory sessions to get Clinic students up to speed on the substantive law and lawyering skills they will need to know to go to court with a client as soon as possible.
On average, students can expect to spend approximately 35 hours per week engaging in DV Clinic work.
CLINIC LOGISTICS
The Domestic Violence Clinic is a 10-credit, one-semester course, offered during the Fall and Spring semesters. The DV Clinic is available to 2Ls, 3Ls and 4Es students. To apply for the Domestic Violence Clinic, students must have completed all first-year courses and (as a pre- or co-requisite) Evidence. Although we reserve one or two clinic seats for students with interest, experience, or enthusiasm about domestic violence issues and/or litigation, we hope to include students with a wide range of background, experience, and interests. We give preference to students entering their final year of law school.
The Clinic accepts 12 student per semester.
CLINIC RECRUITMENT AND FURTHER INFORMATION
Students who are interested in applying for or learning more about the Domestic Violence Clinic, are encouraged to attend our Open House between 3:30–4:30pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 in McD 300. In addition, interested students are encouraged to visit the Clinic Eligibility and Registration page to view the Clinic’s Supplemental Materials and Registration Handbook. Finally, please do not hesitate to reach out to either of the Clinic Directors, Professor Deborah Epstein at epstein@georgetown.edu or Professor Rachel Camp at rachel.camp@georgetown.edu, with any questions. To read and hear about the experience of current and former DVC students, visit the Student Experience and Client Stories page.