Required Experiential Learning Credits Policy

An experiential course must be a simulation course, a law clinic, or a field placement.  To satisfy this requirement, a course must be primarily experiential in nature and must:

1. integrate doctrine, theory, skills, and legal ethics, and engage students in performance of:  interviewing, counseling, negotiation, fact development and analysis, trial practice, document drafting, conflict resolution, organization and management of legal work, collaboration, cultural competency and self-evaluation, legal research and other professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession as may be designated by the faculty;
2. develop the concepts underlying the professional skills being taught;
3. provide multiple opportunities for performance; and
4. provide opportunities for self-evaluation.

A simulation course provides substantial experience not involving an actual client, that:

(1) is reasonably similar to the experience of a lawyer advising or representing a client or engaging in other lawyering tasks in a set of facts and circumstances devised or adopted by a faculty member; and (2) includes the following:  (i) direct supervision of the student’s performance by the faculty member; (ii) opportunities for performance, feedback from a faculty member, and self-evaluation; and (iii) a classroom instructional component.

A law clinic provides substantial lawyering experience that:  (1) involves one more actual clients; and (2) includes the following:  (i) advising or representing a client; (ii) direct supervision of the student’s performance by a faculty member; (iii) opportunities for performance, feedback from a faculty member, and self- evaluation; and (iv) a classroom instructional component.

Field placement courses must meet the requirements of the relevant ABA Standards.