Advocacy

In advancing the mission "to advocate for clinical legal education," CLEA serves as a voice for clinical teachers and represents their interests inside and outside the academy.” As such, CLEA has been a vigorous advocate on matters relating to clinical teachers and clinical legal education over the years.

ABA ACCREDITATION STANDARDS

CLEA plays a constant role monitoring and commenting on matters relevant to professors who teach in clinics and skills courses taken up by the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, its Council, its Standards Review Committee, and other relevant bodies. The current standards for approval of law schools can be found at this site. Below are filings on CLEA’s behalf:

Curriculum & Outcome Measures

Comments regarding Student Outcomes and Related Curricular Provisions of Ch. 3--Program of Legal Education (Oct. 2012)

Comments regarding Proposed Standards 302, Learned Outcomes, and 304, Curriculum (Apr. 2012)

Comments to Standards Review Comm (July 2010)

Talking Points on Outcome Measures (May 2010)

Comments to Standards Review Comm (Oct. 2009)

Comments to Council (Aug. 2008)

Comments re: Proposed Changes to Chp. 3 (Apr 2004)

Testimony on Proposed Int. 304-9 (May 2003)

Testimony on 301, 304, 305 & 306 (2002)

Security of Position

CLEA's comments regarding the Standards Review Committee's Process (Apr. 2013)

CLEA's comments regarding Accreditation Standard 405 (Jan. 2013)

Chart Comparing all 4 Proposals to Revise Std 405 (July 2011)

Letter with Proposed Revisions to Std 405  (March 2011)

Comment on Proposed Std 405 revisions (Dec 2010)

Objections to Standards Review's process (Nov 2010)

Comments on Review of Accreditation Standard 405 (Oct. 2010)

Objections to Handling of Standards Review Committee's July draft (July 2010)

Historical Background on Clinical Faculty Accreditation Standards (June 2010)

Talking Points on Std. 405  (May 2010)

Letter re Elimination of Ints 402-1 & 2 (Dec. 2008)

Deans & Law Faculty Letter to ABA Council on 405(c)  (July 2008)

Statement on Report of ABA Council on Legal Education's Special Committee on Security of Position (July 2008)

Letter re Revisions to Int. 405-6 (Sept. 2007)

Letter re Int. 405-6 (May 2007)

Letter Requesting Clarification of Int. 405-6  (Mar. 2007)

Letter on Proposed Revisions to Int. 405-8 & 405-8 (May 2005)

Comment on Proposed Changes to Chp 4 (Mar. 2005)

Comments on Proposed Changes to Chp 4 (Aug 2004)

Comments on Proposed Changes to Chp 4 (Apr. 2004)

Comments on Proposed Weakening of 405(c) (1999)

Bar Passage Requirements (Std. 301-6)

CLEA & SALT's Bar Passage Statement (April 2013)

CLEA's comments on Standard 309 and Erica Moeser's memorandum regarding Bar Passage rates (Jan 2013)

CLEA Bar Passage Statement (July 2011)

Resources/Articles

Accreditation of Foreign Law Schools

Comments on Recommendations of Special Committee(Oct. 2010)

BRIEFS AND OTHER ADVOCACY

CLEA prepares amicus briefs and other advocacy documents on matters relevant to clinical legal education and the professors who teach in clinical courses:

CLEA's letter to John Streeter, Chairman of California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (June 10, 2013)

CLEA's second comment to the California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (May 30, 2012)

CLEA's comments to California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (April 17, 2012)

CLEA's comments to the Department of Education's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, concerning the American Bar Association Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar's Petition for Renewal of Recognition (June 2011).

Legislative Threat Against Louisiana Clinical Programs: CLEA Letter (May 2010)

Legislative Threat Against Univ. of Maryland Clinical Program: CLEA Statement (Mar. 2010)

Sussex Commons v. Rutgers (application of public records act to law clinic files):

NJ Sup Court Amicus Brief (Dec. 2010)

Appellate Court Amicus Brief (May 2009)

Trial Court Opinion (N.J. Superior Ct., Oct. 2008)

Trial Court Amicus Brief (May 2008)

Wishnatsky v. Rovner (challenge to right of clinic to choose clients and cases)

8th Circuit Amicus Brief (Dec. 2004)

District Court Amicus Brief (May 2004)

North Dakota Attorney General Op. (2003-L-42, Sept. 2003)

Comments to North Dakota Attorney General (Sept. 2003)

Lousiana Student Practice Rule (La. Sup. Ct. restrictions on student practice)

5th Circuit Amicus Brief (Jan. 2000)

District Court Amicus Brief (1999)

Press Release & Complaint (Apr. 1999)

Comments to La. Supreme Court (Dec. 1997)

Palm v. Univ. of Chicago: Amicus Brief(Mar. 2008)

Resources/Articles

Lawyering in the Academy: The Intersection of Academic Freedom and Professional Responsibility (2009)

An Ethics Critique of Interference in Law School Clinics (2003)

Political Interference with Clinical Legal Education: Denying Access to Justice (1999)

ABA Statement on Interference in Clinical Programs (1997)

Political Interference in Law School Clinical Programs: Reflections on Outside Interference and Academic Freedom (1984)

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