When Students Serve: WVU Law Clinics
At the West Virginia University( WVU) College of Law, students have the opportunity to join one of the university’ s law clinics, where they can represent real clients while supervised by faculty. This not only gives students hands-on experience, but it also provides pro bono legal assistance to clients in need.
WVU Law clinics cover veteran advocacy, land use and sustainable development, wrongful convictions, general litigation, immigration and U. S. Supreme Court cases. By filling out an application form, those seeking legal help from the law clinics can be considered for eligibility, which is evaluated on an individual basis.
“ Students work with faculty to conduct interviews, prepare briefs, appear in court, negotiate and travel to visit clients,” says Katherine Garvey, director of clinical education at the WVU College of Law.“ Across all six clinics, we deliver more than 29,000 hours of free legal services each year.”
Garvey explains that the law clinic experience helps prepare students for their careers in the law field.
“ Our clinics allow students to apply what they’ ve learned in skills-based classes like Trial Advocacy and Appellate Advocacy by advocating for clients in and out of court under faculty supervision,” she says.
WVU Law ' s United States Supreme Court Clinic poses with Judge Robert B. King at the U. S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Photo by WVU College of Law.
Legal Aid of West Virginia staff at Glade Springs Resort during the biennial Statewide Staff Meeting. Photo by Chris Jackson.
protective process,” Eddy says.“ These reasons include substance use, untreated trauma, mental health issues or the lack of basic human needs such as food, transportation or shelter.”
Another point of advocacy, which works to increase access to counsel and guide individuals through the complex legal system, is pro bono work. Legal Aid of West Virginia( LAWV), a statewide nonprofit organization, provides these free legal services to eligible candidates with a mission of empowering individuals and strengthening communities.
LAWV’ s work fits into three primary areas: civil legal services, behavioral health advocacy and long-term care advocacy. While public defenders are available for criminal cases, they generally cannot be deployed on most civil matters. This is where LAWV steps in, taking on things such as child custody, domestic violence, expungement and driver’ s license restoration. The organization also serves individuals with mental or behavioral diagnoses and residents in long-term care facilities.
“ Although these services are not always traditional legal representation, they are essential forms of advocacy that work in tandem to improve outcomes and quality of life for West Virginians,” says Kate White, executive director of LAWV.
With the high demand attorneys face, they often feel they do not have the time for pro bono work. However, LAWV is working to address those barriers by offering alternative, more flexible contributions such as teaching a legal education class or assisting with paperwork.
White says the rewards of pro bono work far outweigh the challenges.
“ Pro bono work offers the opportunity to make a direct, tangible difference in someone’ s life— helping a family remain in their home, establishing safety for a survivor of domestic violence or enabling someone to move forward by securing an expungement for a past mistake,” she says.“ It is also deeply fulfilling on both a personal and professional level, reconnecting attorneys with the fundamental purpose of the legal profession: to serve others and advance justice.”
Children facing harm make up a notable portion of the state’ s most vulnerable population. When working with cases like this, it is essential that the courts understand the child’ s situation and what needs must be met to ensure their long-term well-being.
Court Appointed Special Advocates( CASA) is dedicated to advocating for these children and works to guarantee that each child has a safe and permanent home where they can thrive.
“ The guiding principle that drives CASA’ s core work is that children grow and develop best with their family of origin when that can be safely achieved,” says Shanna Gray, state director of West Virginia CASA Association, Inc.
West Virginia CASA programs recruit, screen, train and supervise community volunteers who work with children and families to gather information they can use to make recommendations to the court. This involves working alongside judges, attorneys, social workers, child welfare professionals, teachers and service providers to determine the best course of action.
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