Religious Liberty Clinic: Clinical Methods
The Religious Liberty Clinic will offer participating students a dynamic, real-world experience representing a diverse group of clients in disputes arising from a wide range of religious beliefs, practices, and customs in a variety of circumstances. Students will learn in class and apply in practice the laws affecting religious liberty, whether statutory or constitutional, and will be expected to counsel individual or institutional clients and litigate on their behalf with technical excellence, professionalism, and maturity. During the term, students can expect to handle a discrete accommodation project e.g., represent a prisoner, student, or employee facing obstacles in the exercise of his or her faith and likely also participate in a longer-term project involving religion in the public square e.g., represent a small church, synagogue, or mosque with zoning issues, or a faith-based group seeking access to public facilities. Opportunities to draft amicus briefs may also arise. The clinic will involve administrative, trial, and appellate practice though time constraints may not permit each student to work in all areas united under the theme of "religious liberty for all." Students may also help in marketing and outreach efforts to the religious and wider communities. The Law School's clinical courses is being offered on a full-time basis for 12 credits. Students enrolled in a clinic are not permitted to enroll in any other classes, seminars, directed research or other credit-yielding activities during the quarter in which they are enrolled in a clinic. Students may not enroll in any clinic (basic or advanced) which would result in them earning more than 27 clinical credits during their law school career.