Clinical Programs: Student Law Office

FAQs - Student Law Office

• What are the benefits of participating in the Student Law Office?

  Clinical legal education is a vital component of every law school’s curriculum. At the University of Denver, the Student Law Office (SLO) offers seven in-house clinics: Advancing Social Change, Criminal Defense, Civil Litigation, Civil Rights, Community Economic Development, Environmental Law, and Immigration Law and Policy.

  These clinics provide students with diverse opportunities to develop essential legal skills, including pretrial, trial, and transactional practices. Students engage in interviewing and counseling clients, developing case strategies, conducting investigations, managing discovery, negotiating with opposing parties, mediating settlements, and litigating disputes. They also draft contracts, bylaws, articles of incorporation, and other key documents.

  In addition to practical skills, students learn legal ethics, confidentiality principles, and how to navigate the complexities of being law advocates. The SLO places a strong emphasis on case management, equipping students to handle their cases effectively and efficiently. Through this work, students also cultivate empathy and sensitivity toward the challenges faced by underserved clients, preparing our student attorneys for impactful legal careers.

  Participating in a law clinic before graduation provides students with hands-on experience handling real cases under the guidance of law professors. Through regular supervision sessions, students receive constructive feedback and engage in collaborative discussions, sharpening their skills and deepening their understanding of legal practice. This invaluable experience equips students with a strong foundation of critical skills, preparing them for a smooth transition into their first full-time legal positions after graduation.

• What are the requirements for participating in a Student Law Office Clinic?

  To participate in a law clinic, students must have completed 30 academic credit hours by the start of the clinic (meaning that you have completed the entirety of your 1L required courses by the start of the clinic). Students must also have a GPA of 2.3 or higher. Some clinics may have additional pre- or co- requisites based on the nature of the work, so be sure to review the individual clinic flyers and websites to confirm you meet all requirements before applying.

  Students must also complete the application process, which includes completing our online application form as well as a conflict-of-interest check. Clinic professors usually conduct interviews with prospective students as well. 

• When can I apply for a position in a Student Law Office Clinic?

  Students who have completed 30 academic credit hours by the start of the clinic are eligible to apply for all the clinics in the Student Law Office (see requirements question above).

  Application information for Spring 2026 and Fall 2026: clinic applications for the Criminal Defense Clinic in Spring 2026 will be open Monday, October 13, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. through Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. – see posting on our website. For Academic Year 2026–2027 year-long clinics and Fall 2026 semester-long clinics, applications are expected to open March 2026, but specific dates will be announced in the spring semester. The link to the applications will be posted on the SLO website when the application periods begin. Keep an eye out for notices in Denver Law’s weekly Student Affairs newsletters, the SLO's Instagram and LinkedIn sites, as well as information sessions and other events about the SLO and our application processes.

  Note: This application process is for the Student Law Office only. Students interested in the Externship Program or other live-client courses should contact those programs directly. 

• What Is the Time Commitment Expected of Students Enrolled in a Clinic in the SLO?

  Each clinic in the SLO consists of three main components: the clinic seminar, case work, and supervision meetings with their professors and colleagues. This means that student attorneys will attend clinic seminar classes and meet regularly with their case team and professor(s), in addition to undertaking the work necessary to provide excellent representation to their clients and/or clinic partners.

  Engaging in a clinic is therefore a time-intensive, but highly rewarding, experience. The minimum number of hours that students can expect to work on clinic matters each week varies by clinic (please check the clinics you are considering), but all students should be prepared to devote significant time to their clinic work. For most clinics, students can expect to spend a minimum of 20-25 hours per week working on SLO matters (including casework, supervision, classes and preparation). The exact amount of time will vary from week to week and may require substantially more time in some weeks. It’s important to plan your schedule around these obligations.

• How Many Credits Will I Receive Through Participating in a Student Law Office Clinic?

  The number of credits varies by clinic, as described below. Each clinic in the SLO carries both “in-class” credits (the credits associated with the clinic seminar) and “out-of-class” credits (the credits associated with client work and supervision). Only the “out-of-class” credits count toward the 25 total “out-of-class" credits that students may take at Denver Law. 

  Semester-Long Clinic Credits

  • Criminal Defense Clinic: 9 total credits (4 in-class, 5 out-of-class)
  • Civil Litigation Clinic: 9 total credits (4 in-class, 5 out-of-class)
  • Advancing Social Change Clinic: 6 total credits (3 in-class, 3 out-of-class)
    (Note: This course gives priority to qualified part-time program students at Sturm College of Law. All seminar classes meet on weekends dedicated to part-time program courses. The ASCC is usually offered once per year.)
     

  Year-Long Clinic Credits (totals for the entirety of the year)

  • Civil Rights Clinic: 18 total credits (6 in-class, 12 out-of-class)
  • Community Economic Development Clinic: 12 total credits (6 in-class, 6 out-of-class)
  • Environmental Law Clinic: 18 total credits (6 in-class, 12 out-of-class)
  • Immigration Law and Policy Clinic: 18 total credits (8 in-class, 10 out-of-class)
• Will I be Asked to Leave the Program if I Don't Win My Case?

  No. Each clinic professor provides students with their expectations in their course, but the Student Law Office faculty does not evaluate you on the outcomes of your cases. Losing cases is a natural part of being a legal advocate. Faculty instead consider factors such as, but not limited to, the quality of assistance that you provided to your clients and/or clinic partners, how diligently and insightfully you prepared for and performed your legal work, your class preparation, and your ability to be self-reflective and thoughtful in writing reflections, classroom discussions, and in other exchanges.

• I'm a Part-Time Student. Can I Participate in a Student Law Office Clinic?

  Both full-time and part-time students who have completed the 30-credit hour requirement are encouraged to apply for all the clinics in the Student Law Office. However, to participate in a clinic, students must attend all clinic seminars, court dates, and supervision sessions as scheduled, as well as have sufficient time to effectively and thoroughly do the work required to effectively represent your client(s). If you have questions about the time commitment and obligations of a particular clinic, please reach out to the professor(s) teaching that clinic and/or attend a clinic information session or other event to learn more.

  Please note that the Advancing Social Change Clinic gives priority to students in Denver Law’s Part-Time JD Program, and all the seminar classes will meet on the weekends dedicated to part-time program classes. The fieldwork hours, while intensive, can be completed at flexible times, in consultation with the professor and relevant clinic partners.

• Does participating in a Student Law Office clinic satisfy the Public Service and Upper-Level Writing Requirements?

  Participation in all the Student Law Office clinics satisfies the Public Service Requirement. 

  However, not all SLO clinics automatically fulfill the Upper-Level Writing (ULW) Requirement. Check your course listing to determine if the clinic in which you are interested satisfies the ULW requirement. For those clinics that do not automatically satisfy the ULW, students may end up engaging in work in the course that satisfies the ULW. If that is the case, with the permission of the student, the professor in that course will notify the Registrar’s Office that the student has completed their ULW through their work in the clinic.

• Can I Enroll in a Student Law Office Clinic if I am Simultaneously Enrolled in an Externship through the Legal Externship Program or Another Course that Involves Client Work?

  As a student attorney, you will be required to abide by the professional responsibility rules that govern all practicing lawyers. Given the intensive time commitment of clinic courses as well as the potential for ethical conflicts of interest, students are not allowed to simultaneously participate in a clinic in the Student Law Office and an externship through the Legal Externship Program or any other experiential course in the law school that involves client work.

• Can I work and participate in the Student Law Office at the same time?

  As a student attorney, you will be asked to abide by all of the ethical rules that would apply as if you were a practicing lawyer. We know that some of you will be working while also taking a clinic. While we generally discourage this, given the intensive time commitment of clinic courses, we are aware that some of you will work. If you are working while you are enrolled in a clinic in the Student Law Office, you will have to submit information regarding your employer (and, if necessary, clients or others that your employer serves) to complete a conflict check within the SLO. In addition, after discussion with your clinic supervisor and permission from your clinic client(s), you may need to disclose your clinic work to your employer, and they may need to complete a conflict check as well. If a conflict arises, within your own clinic or any clinic within the Student Law Office, there is a presumption that the conflict will be resolved to the benefit of the clinic client. Thus, in the event a conflict exists, there is a risk that you may have to withdraw from the clinic. 

  This same policy applies to any volunteer work undertaken by student attorneys during their enrollment in the Student Law Office. Students who work or volunteer while enrolled in a clinic must discuss these plans with the clinic professor(s) before enrolling in the clinic or, if the work or volunteer opportunity arises after the student is already enrolled in a clinic, before the employment or volunteer work commences. In addition to possible clinic-wide conflict issues, it is essential that the student and professor(s) have a meaningful discussion and reach a mutual understanding regarding the time commitment and other aspects of the proposed work or volunteer position.

• Which Student Law Office clinics meet the experiential learning requirement for Denver Law’s JD Certificate Programs?

  Participation in the following clinics satisfies the experiential learning requirement for earning a certificate in the corresponding area of law:

  • Community Economic Development Clinic: Corporate & Commercial Law
  • Criminal Defense Clinic: Constitutional Rights & Remedies
  • Civil Rights Clinic: Constitutional Rights & Remedies
  • Civil Litigation Clinic (with emphasis on employment law): Workplace Law
  • Environmental Law Clinic: Environmental & Natural Resources Law
• Contact Us

  For questions about the Student Law Office, please contact us at law-slo@du.edu or 303-871-6133. If you are seeking legal representation, please see the Request Legal Services/Solicitar Servicios Legales section of the SLO website.

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