PUBLISHED:September 25, 2007
Prof. Wettach participates in clinical legal education anniversary
Clinical Professor Jane Wettach participated in the 60th Anniversary of Clinical Legal Education at the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville September 14 & 15 at a symposium entitled “Looking Forward – the Next 60 Years.” Clinical law professors from around the country joined together to help UT celebrate its anniversary. Prof. Wettach, director of Duke’s Children’s Law Clinic, spoke as part of a panel on “Education Advocacy: Past, Present & Future.”
The clinical legal education program at the UT College of Law is the oldest continuously operated program in the country. Interestingly, at the time UT began its clinical program, the only other program in the country was at Duke Law School. Duke later closed its program, however, while UT continued to expand. The current clinical program at Duke Law School was revived in 1996 when the AIDS Legal Project was established. Since then, the Duke Law program has grown significantly, and now includes the Children’s Law Clinic, as well at the Community Enterprise Clinic, Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, Appellate Litigation Clinic, Animal Law Clinic, and Guantanamo Defense Clinic.
At the University of Tennessee College of Law, as well as at Duke Law School and other law schools around the country, clinical legal education offers the opportunity for law students to step out of the traditional classroom to learn legal skills in practice. Representing real clients under faculty supervision, clinic students begin to develop the professional skills and judgment that are required of licensed attorneys.
The clinical legal education program at the UT College of Law is the oldest continuously operated program in the country. Interestingly, at the time UT began its clinical program, the only other program in the country was at Duke Law School. Duke later closed its program, however, while UT continued to expand. The current clinical program at Duke Law School was revived in 1996 when the AIDS Legal Project was established. Since then, the Duke Law program has grown significantly, and now includes the Children’s Law Clinic, as well at the Community Enterprise Clinic, Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, Appellate Litigation Clinic, Animal Law Clinic, and Guantanamo Defense Clinic.
At the University of Tennessee College of Law, as well as at Duke Law School and other law schools around the country, clinical legal education offers the opportunity for law students to step out of the traditional classroom to learn legal skills in practice. Representing real clients under faculty supervision, clinic students begin to develop the professional skills and judgment that are required of licensed attorneys.