Centers and Clinics

Clinics


The Levin College of Law faculty-supervised, advice/representation clinics integrate the college’s nationally-ranked scholarship with applied lawyering and problem-solving skills developed through simulation courses and by legal services provided in a fully-operational legal aid clinic. As a proven method of teaching law, clinical scholarship places case book theory within the context of counseling and representing real clients working towards resolution of real legal problems. Moreover, clinical interns contribute to a societal need by representing indigent clients within the local community.

Each of the Virgil D. Hawkins Civil Legal Clinics offers advice or representation to income-eligible clients in the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Alachua County, Florida. GatorTeamChild juvenile law clinic represents children in surrounding circuits as well. In addition to income eligibility, limited clinic resources and complexity of the legal issues involved in a case may factor into determining eligibility for representation. The Criminal Law Clinics interns represent clients only in the actual offices of the State Attorney or the Public Defender. They also attend clinic lectures and simulation-based classes held at the College of Law.

With goals of advocacy and teaching, clinical faculty construct curricula and courses to balance the training of law students in the skills, techniques, and professional habits necessary for the practice of law with the responsible, ethical representation of low income clients often in need of an array of services. This practical experience for students not only contributes to a better understanding of the law learned in the classroom, it gives our graduates the advantage of Florida Supreme Court certification as Certified Legal Interns. Law students earn academic credit for the one or two semesters they study and work under the supervision of faculty who are Florida Bar members-in-good standing. In the case of the Mediation Clinic, eligibility for certification as a County Court Mediator is awarded upon completion in lieu of certification as a legal intern.

The Development of the Law Clinics

The original legal clinics of the University of Florida law school officially opened in 1968 under the design and direction of Professor James R. Pierce who founded the college’s Defense Clinic. He was joined by Professor Gerald T. Bennett, who from the late 1960s until his retirement in 1998 directed the Prosecutor Clinic, and Professor Don Peters (now Acting Director of the Virgil Hawkins Civil Clinics and Director, Institute for Dispute Resolution), who created and opened the civil clinics in 1973. In 1989, Governor Martinez signed a legislative bill into law which named the University of Florida’s civil clinics as the Virgil Darnell Hawkins Civil Legal Clinics.

The early success and development of the clinics are attributable to the dedicated efforts of the founders – Professor Emeritus James R. Pierce, Professor Emeritus Gerald T. Bennett (deceased), Hon. Stephan P. Mickle (Northern District of Florida), Hon. Robert Benton (First District Court of Appeal, Florida), and Professor Don Peters.

Their commitment to the vital purpose of providing legal services to local citizens who could not otherwise afford representation is a cornerstone of the clinics. This service goal and the important educational objective of training for professionalism through the practical application of the rules of law continue to be the foundation of the clinics today.

At its inception, under the law direction of Professor Don Peters, the civil clinic collaborated with Storefront Legal Aid in Gainesville to provide legal services to indigent clients. Storefront later reorganized and expanded to 12 counties under the name of Three Rivers Legal Services, a private, not-for-profit, corporation, providing free civil, legal assistance to the low-income community of North Central Florida. Initially, low income clients were interviewed by VHCC interns at the legal aid office as part of that program’s client intake. Cases were then staffed to be handled either by Three Rivers or by the Virgil Hawkins Civil Legal Clinics. Professor Anne L. Spitzer (deceased) joined with Professor Peters to run the clinical programs for approximately 20 years.

Under the direction of Legal Skills Professor Jeffrey T. Grater, the VHCC Full Representation Clinic continues that collaboration with Three Rivers, except that the interns do not perform their intake at Three Rivers. In 1997 a new clinic was established by Legal Skills Professors Peggy F. Schrieber and Iris A. Burke, the Pro Se/Unbundling Family Law Advice Clinic, to work with the Family Court Self Help of the Eighth Judicial Circuit and assist low income pro se litigants in family law cases. In 1998, the juvenile law clinic, Gator TeamChild, was founded by Legal Skills Professor Claudia Wright to address the legal needs of children in North Central Florida. The County Court Mediation Clinic was first offered in 1999 by Professor Don Peters and Legal Skills Professor Alison Gerencser to train law student volunteer mediators in the Small Claims Court of Alachua County as well as offer dispute resolution peer training for juveniles with special needs.



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