Criminal Defense Clinic Course Information for Clients
Clinic Details
- Credits: 6 credits (2 for seminar, 4 for case work). Optional second semester for 4 additional credits.
- Who Can Join: Open to 3L students. Priority for those who have taken Evidence and Criminal Procedure with a student practice card. Selection by lottery.
- Goals: Provide zealous, competent, and ethical representation to clients. Encourage critical thinking about the legal system.
- Seminar Format: Focuses on trial advocacy and client skills with simulation exercises.
- Casework: Misdemeanor cases in local counties, limited post-conviction cases. Students manage interviewing, negotiations, hearings, and trials.
After Graduation
Clinic students move on to impressive roles, like:
- Public Defender offices in Alabama and elsewhere
- District Attorney offices
- Non-profit legal aid
- Government positions
- Judicial clerkships
“I learned that being aggressive does not mean channeling your inner Annalise Keating…it means fighting zealously for your client while staying true to yourself. When I watched my classmates I learned that we each had our own unique style. There is no “right” way to be an effective advocate. I don’t have to be dramatic or loud to get my point across. I can still be kind and reasonable and rip opposing counsel to shreds.” – Brenita Softley ’22
“A clinic, and the Criminal Defense Clinic specifically, teaches you how to think strategically about cases. It is basically just game theory in real life scenarios. Honestly, it’s thrilling.” – Reave Shewmake ’21
I came away from every case I handled, from the simplest to the most complex, with insights that have shaped my understanding of what it means to be an effective and compassionate advocate, both for representing individual clients and for reforming the criminal legal system as a whole.” – Tamara Imam ’20
