Centers and Clinics
Information for Legal Assistance
Clinic interns are certified under the Student Practice Rule of The Florida Bar, requiring that they provide legal services only under the supervision of Bar-admitted Florida attorneys, and that the services be provided only to low income clients. Typically, law students are prohibited from assisting or conducting research on legal issues for anyone other than Florida-licensed attorneys.
Client Representation in the Levin College of Law Criminal Law ClinicsRepresentation in criminal law matters is not offered through the clinics. Interns work only with clients through the State Attorney's Office or the Public Defender's Office. No criminal law advice or appointments are handled through the Clinics.
Client Representation in the Virgil D. Hawkins Civil Legal Clinics
Representation in a family law case is offered to eligible clients at the law offices of the Virgil D. Hawkins Civil Clinics, Levin College of Law, in Gainesville, Florida. Clients with family law and juvenile law problems are generally referred to the clinics from Three Rivers Legal Services, judges, practitioners, public agencies, and through limited direct intake. Three Rivers Legal Services provides a full range of civil legal assistance to low income clients in civil areas including consumer, housing, public benefits, family law, taxes, probate and employment. They serve 17 counties in North Florida.
Income-eligible clients who are handling their own family law cases ("pro se") through the Family Court Case Management Program at the Alachua County Courthouse can apply directly to the clinics for assistance and are served on a first-come, first-served basis.
E-mails and letters from people requesting legal assistance will not be treated as confidential information unless and until the Clinic agress to accept representation. Please apply for legal assistance by calling the office and speaking directly to a secretary.
Please note that there is often a waiting list for all clinics.
Other Sources
See Other Sources for Legal Advice and Assistance for information on who to contact for available services.
United Way of North Central Florida provides referrals for basic needs assistance.
The Florida Bar LawHelp Program, administered by Florida Legal Services, Inc., is an excellent resource for basic law questions. For other legal consumer services, including assistance in finding an attorney through The Florida Bar, see www.flabar.org/tfb/TFBConsum.nsf/.
Undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Florida see UF Student Government Student Legal Services or call 352-392-LAWS (5297). Students at Santa Fe Community College may call 352-395-4134.
The Legal Information Center, the College's law library, offers on-line legal research tools at www.law.ufl.edu/lic.