Centers and Clinics

Affiliated Programs, Skills Courses, Externships, Judicial Clerkships and CLEs


Collaborative scholarship with faculty and adjuncts from law and other disciplines – judges, practicing lawyers, social workers and therapists – provides a comprehensive basis for clinic interns to make the transition from case book courses to real clients with real problems.

INSTITUTE FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The Virgil Hawkins Civil Clinics and the Institute for Dispute Resolution share a common goal of providing law students with knowledge of and ability to use alternative dispute resolution and mediation processes effectively. One of the Institute’s courses, VHCC Mediation Clinic, directly uses students to deliver mediation services in Small Claims Courts in Alachua and surrounding counties. The Institute also explores in more depth topics that the clinics’ curricula cover, such as Negotiation, Mediation, Interviewing and Counseling, and Dispute Resolution. The Associate Director, Legal Skills Professor Robin Davis, teaches the Mediation Clinic and directs the Institute’s programs. See more about the Institute for Dispute Resolution at http://www.law.ufl.edu/idr.

CENTER ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Projects and programs benefitting students and the community are greatly strengthened through the clinics' close working relationship and affiliation with the Levin College of Law Center on Children and Families. Legal Skills Professor Iris Burke is a co-director of the center, and six other clinic faculty -- Robin Davis, Jeffrey Grater, Don Peters, Peggy Schrieber, Monique Haughton Worrel and Claudia Wright -- are associate directors. The Center on Children and Families strives to promote the highest quality advocacy, teaching and scholarship in family and children's law and policy. Faculty work with students to collaborate with organizations at all levels - such as the Florida Judiciary, bi-partisan congressional roundtables, American Bar Association and International Society of Family Law - on law reform and issues related to children and their families. The center coordinates the Family Law Certificate Program and holds an annual conference, funds student fellows to work on amicus briefs and other research and service projects, generates publication of books and articles, and educates young people on their rights and responsibilities in a free society. For details, go to http://www.law.ufl.edu/centers/childlaw/.

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Undergraduate and graduate students from the FSU School of Social Work Tallahassee campus and the Gainesville Part-Time Masters in Social Work Program participate in the student internship program in the Virgil Hawkins Civil Clinic Gator TeamChild.

The strength of Gator TeamChild is interdisciplinary collaboration and representation of children in delinquency, dependency, emancipation, guardianship, school-related issues, and Social Security cases. Social work students work in teams with law students to prepare legal and psychosocial plans that address the needs of each child, then advocate for the provision of services. Social work students are supervised by Karen Keroack, LCSW, Gainesville Area Coordinator, FSU, School of Social Work. For more information, see http://www.ssw.fsu.edu.

FAMILY AND JUVENILE EXTERNSHIPS
Field placements supervised by clinic faculty provide opportunities for law students to gain practical experience in an area of substantive interest. Clinic faculty are experienced practitioners who, with the College’s Career Services Department, work with students to identify suitable field placement settings to maximize their real-world law practice experiences. Legal externships supervised by clinic faculty include:

Family Law Division, Eighth Judicial Circuit
State’s Attorney’s Office, Eighth Judicial Circuit (Domestic Violence)
Three Rivers Legal Services, Gainesville and Lake City (Domestic Violence)
Withlacoochee Area Legal Services, Ocala (Domestic Violence)
Public Defender’s Office, Gainesville (Juvenile)

For more details, go to http://www.law.ufl.edu/career/externships/

Continuing Legal Education Programs

Each summer The Florida Bar and the Levin College of Law host two nationally-recognized continuing education programs at the law school. Seminar credits earned in the program may be applied to satisfy both CLER and Board Certification requirements, including 2 hours of Ethics. Faculty for these programs have many years of litigation experience and include judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, private practitioners, and Queens Counsel from London. Program registration information is available from Connie Stewart, Program Administrator, The Florida Bar, 651 E Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Telephone: 850.561.5628 or email cstewart@flabar.org.

Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program

Created by Gerald T. Bennett in the 1970s, this annual program follows the teaching methodology and format originally instituted by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). Specifically designed for Florida assistant prosecutors and public defenders who have been practicing less than two years, this week-long program is held every summer at the Levin College of Law. Assistant state attorneys and assistant public defenders from all judicial circuits in Florida are invited to participate in this intensive, condensed trial training program that emphasizes role-playing in simulated courtroom exercises to develop their courtroom advocacy skills. A highly-experienced program faculty of judges and seasoned litigators from Florida and around the nation provide constructive critique of videotaped performances. Every year Barristers from London and one Queens Counsel (as faculty) participate and share their views of the English versus American systems of justice. Sponsors include the Public Defender’s Association and the Florida Prosecuting Attorney’s Association. The faculty and participants earn a maximum of 51 CLE credits (including 3 hours of Ethics).

Advanced Trial Advocacy Program

Designed to provide in-depth, demonstration-based instruction of trial advocacy techniques through performance, critique and video review, the Advanced Trial Advocacy Program is an one-week continuing legal education training seminar held at the Levin College of Law every May since 1991. Sponsored by The Florida Bar, with the assistance of the clinics staff and facilities, this program is intended for attorneys who have practiced a minimum of 5 years and have a significant number of jury trials. Each year Barristers from London and one Queens Counsel (as faculty) participate and share their views of the English versus American systems of justice. The faculty and participants earn a maximum of 34.0 hours (including 3.5 hours of Ethics) CLE credits.

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