Apply your lawyering skills in civil litigation cases.
The Civil Litigation & Justice Program gives students the opportunity to use their lawyering skills in a diverse array of courtrooms—from local trial and housing courts, to the state’s Supreme Judicial Court, to the federal court. In fact, several landmark decisions by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court began as student-represented cases in the Civil Litigation & Justice Program.
Students in the Civil Litigation & Justice Program choose from three options:
- Individual Rights Litigation (IRL) Clinic—full-year program (formerly known as the Housing, Employment, Family and Disability Clinic)
The average IRL Clinic caseload over two semesters typically includes 4–5 cases in areas such as domestic relations, eviction defense, employment law, and Social Security appeals.
- Access to Justice Clinic —full-year program
The average Access to Justice Clinic caseload covers areas such as domestic relations, eviction defense, employment law, and Social Security appeals. Students are exposed to their clients’ challenges in accessing the justice system and challenged to generate solutions to these barriers.
- Employment Rights Clinic (ERC)—one semester program, fall or spring
Students represent clients in unemployment compensation cases, with a possibility to work on wage and hour disputes, discrimination/sexual harassment cases, and Family Medical Leave Act cases.
Students participating in the Civil Litigation & Justice Program are eligible for the Concentration in Litigation and Dispute Resolution.
Real Practice, Real Clients, Real Cases
Massachusetts allows second- and third-year law students to practice law in its state and federal courts under the supervision of clinical faculty on behalf of indigent clients in civil cases. Our goal is to put students on cases with a high likelihood of a hearing or trial at the end.
Students learn how interview clients and witnesses, draft pleadings and other legal documents, negotiate with attorneys and conduct research, and appear in court. Everything you do will be discussed with a clinical professor. Your professor will always go to court with you and will make sure that you are adequately prepared, and will review and critique your written work and case planning. The BU Law clinical professors are highly experienced professionals in their fields and dedicate themselves fully to your training and supervision.
Students may expect to spend an average of fifteen hours per week on their cases in the field. Students may spend more, or less, time on clinic work depending on what is happening in the cases during any given week.
The program helps students understand the importance of providing strong representation to all who need it, regardless of economic means. To further assist students with the training process, students also participate in specialized seminars that teach negotiation, ethical decision making, case planning, and trial skills.
Individual Rights Litigation (IRL) Clinic
The IRL Clinic (formerly known as the Housing, Employment, Family and Disability Clinic) is a cluster of clinic and coursework over two semesters. Students earn six graded credits for the field component, which must be taken over both semesters. The classroom component teaches the theories of practice for use in the field. Students receive a total of 12 credits over the two semesters.
Students take the following courses:
Civil Litigation and Justice Program (C): LAW JD 861
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Student in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program handle their own caseloads, representing indigent clients in civil cases under the supervision of clinical faculty. Students may participate in the Program for either a full year (the Individual Rights Litigation Clinic (IRL) or Access to Justice Clinic (A2J)) or for one semester (the Employment Rights Clinic (ERC)). Students participating in IRL or A2J work on cases in areas such as domestic relations, eviction defense, employment law and Social Security appeals. Students in the ERC represent clients in unemployment compensation cases, with a possibility of working on wage and hour disputes, discrimination/sexual harassment cases, and Family Medical Leave Act cases. PRE/CO-REQUISITES: Evidence. NOTE: The Civil Litigation and Justice Program counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 B1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 C1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 B2 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 C1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: Pretrial Advocacy/Pro Resp.: LAW JD 973
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Pretrial Advocacy is the companion fall classroom component for students in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program IRL and fall ERC clinics. Pretrial Advocacy is taught in groups of roughly 14 students with two clinical professors per group. Classes are devoted to learning the theories of practice for use in the field, reinforced by activities and simulations in which students practice skills through role play. NOTE: Students who enroll in this component of the clinic may count the credits towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement or the Professional Responsibility requirement. It may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 973 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 5th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 973 B1 , Sep 5th to Dec 5th 2023
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: Trial Advocacy: LAW JD 974
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Trial Advocacy is the companion spring classroom component for students in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program IRL and spring ERC clinics. Trial Advocacy is taught in groups of roughly 14 students with two clinical professors per group. Classes are devoted to learning the theories of practice for use in the field, reinforced by activities and simulations in which students practice skills through role play. NOTE: This course does not count towards the Professional Responsibility requirement. NOTE: This course counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 974 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 23rd 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 974 B1 , Jan 16th to Apr 23rd 2024
Course Prerequisites
If you have not already done so, you must take Evidence during the first semester of clinic participation to satisfy the student practice rule.
Access to Justice Clinic
The Access to Justice Clinic is a full-year clinic. Students earn six credits for fieldwork and six credits for coursework over two semesters. The classroom component places students’ casework and the access-to-justice challenges faced by their clients within a larger theoretical and societal context by encouraging them to examine their role as counsel for poverty-law clients and explore the systemic social justice issues raised in their cases.
Students take the following courses:
Civil Litigation and Justice Program (C): LAW JD 861
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Student in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program handle their own caseloads, representing indigent clients in civil cases under the supervision of clinical faculty. Students may participate in the Program for either a full year (the Individual Rights Litigation Clinic (IRL) or Access to Justice Clinic (A2J)) or for one semester (the Employment Rights Clinic (ERC)). Students participating in IRL or A2J work on cases in areas such as domestic relations, eviction defense, employment law and Social Security appeals. Students in the ERC represent clients in unemployment compensation cases, with a possibility of working on wage and hour disputes, discrimination/sexual harassment cases, and Family Medical Leave Act cases. PRE/CO-REQUISITES: Evidence. NOTE: The Civil Litigation and Justice Program counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 B1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 C1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 B2 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 C1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: A2J Skills & Professional Responsibility: LAW JD 963
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Access to Justice Clinic of the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. This seminar examines the larger societal context of students' fieldwork representing poverty-law clients in family, housing, employment, and disability cases. Students will actively analyze and address the intersections of the legal system with the multiple systemic barriers their clients face (e.g., gender, race, class, disability). In addition to the skills and legal knowledge relevant to representation of clinic clients, seminar discussions and projects will focus on proposed solutions to the systemic challenges faced by those clients, and situate them within current theories of law as a tool for social justice. NOTE: This course counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. This class may be used to satisfy the Professional Responsibility requirement, in which case credits for the class may not be counted towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 963 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 5th 2023
Civil Litigation: A2J Skills II: LAW JD 965
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Access to Justice Clinic of the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. This seminar continues the coursework of the fall semester in examining the larger societal context of students' fieldwork representing poverty-law clients in family, housing, employment, and disability cases. Students will actively analyze and address the intersections of the legal system with the multiple systemic barriers their clients face (e.g., gender, race, class, disability). In addition to the skills and legal knowledge relevant to representation of clinic clients, seminar discussions and projects will focus on proposed solutions to the systemic challenges faced by those clients, and situate them within current theories of law as a tool for social justice. NOTE: This course counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 965 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 25th 2024
Course Prerequisites
If you have not already done so, you must take Evidence during the first semester of clinic participation to satisfy the student practice rule.
Employment Rights Clinic (ERC)
The ERC is a one-semester clinic, for which students earn three credits for fieldwork and three credits for coursework. Depending on their semester of participation, students take either a pretrial advocacy and professional responsibility course (fall) or a trial advocacy course (spring). Both courses focus on developing students’ practice skills.
Students participating in ERC in the fall semester take the following courses:
Civil Litigation and Justice Program (C): LAW JD 861
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Student in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program handle their own caseloads, representing indigent clients in civil cases under the supervision of clinical faculty. Students may participate in the Program for either a full year (the Individual Rights Litigation Clinic (IRL) or Access to Justice Clinic (A2J)) or for one semester (the Employment Rights Clinic (ERC)). Students participating in IRL or A2J work on cases in areas such as domestic relations, eviction defense, employment law and Social Security appeals. Students in the ERC represent clients in unemployment compensation cases, with a possibility of working on wage and hour disputes, discrimination/sexual harassment cases, and Family Medical Leave Act cases. PRE/CO-REQUISITES: Evidence. NOTE: The Civil Litigation and Justice Program counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 B1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 C1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 B2 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 C1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: Pretrial Advocacy/Pro Resp.: LAW JD 973
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Pretrial Advocacy is the companion fall classroom component for students in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program IRL and fall ERC clinics. Pretrial Advocacy is taught in groups of roughly 14 students with two clinical professors per group. Classes are devoted to learning the theories of practice for use in the field, reinforced by activities and simulations in which students practice skills through role play. NOTE: Students who enroll in this component of the clinic may count the credits towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement or the Professional Responsibility requirement. It may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 973 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 5th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 973 B1 , Sep 5th to Dec 5th 2023
Students participating in ERC in the spring semester take the following courses:
Civil Litigation and Justice Program (C): LAW JD 861
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Student in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program handle their own caseloads, representing indigent clients in civil cases under the supervision of clinical faculty. Students may participate in the Program for either a full year (the Individual Rights Litigation Clinic (IRL) or Access to Justice Clinic (A2J)) or for one semester (the Employment Rights Clinic (ERC)). Students participating in IRL or A2J work on cases in areas such as domestic relations, eviction defense, employment law and Social Security appeals. Students in the ERC represent clients in unemployment compensation cases, with a possibility of working on wage and hour disputes, discrimination/sexual harassment cases, and Family Medical Leave Act cases. PRE/CO-REQUISITES: Evidence. NOTE: The Civil Litigation and Justice Program counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 A1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 B1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
FALL 2023: LAW JD 861 C1 , Sep 5th to Dec 7th 2023
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 B2 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 861 C1 , Jan 16th to Apr 24th 2024
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: Trial Advocacy: LAW JD 974
3 credits
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Trial Advocacy is the companion spring classroom component for students in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program IRL and spring ERC clinics. Trial Advocacy is taught in groups of roughly 14 students with two clinical professors per group. Classes are devoted to learning the theories of practice for use in the field, reinforced by activities and simulations in which students practice skills through role play. NOTE: This course does not count towards the Professional Responsibility requirement. NOTE: This course counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 974 A1 , Jan 16th to Apr 23rd 2024
SPRG 2024: LAW JD 974 B1 , Jan 16th to Apr 23rd 2024
Course Pre-/Co-requisites
Students must have already taken Evidence or students must take this class concurrently with the ERC.
Faculty
The Civil Litigation & Justice Program is taught by: