Urban Law Clinic

By virtue of a Michigan Supreme Court rule, law students may participate in a clinic to provide legal aid or work with the local Prosecutor’s Office and, under the supervision of a member of the State Bar, appear in various Michigan courts representing clients.

The Urban Law Clinic is an upper-class elective course designed to expose students to the demands and rewards of the practice of law while providing legal services to indigent residents of the community, primarily the City of Detroit.

The Urban Law Clinic's practice has two major components, criminal misdemeanor defense and elder law services. Both involve intensive experience in client interviewing and counseling, legal drafting and negotiation technique.

1. Misdemeanor Defender
   The Urban Law Clinic serves under contract in defending misdemeanor charges for indigents at the 32-A District Court in Harper Woods, MI. Students appear in court under Michigan Court Rule 8.120 with the permission of District Judge Roger La Rose at the courthouse. Students represent their clients at pretrials, trials, sentencing, and probation violation hearings under the supervision of Professor Gary M. Maveal, Director of Clinical Programs.
   
   
2. Elder Law Services
   Students represent indigent senior citizens in all aspects of consumer fraud cases, health benefit cases, predatory lending matters, and economic abuse cases.
   
   Urban Law Clinic students are also assigned to regular counseling of senior citizens at the Hannan House, 4750 Woodward Avenue and the Butzel Center, 7737 Kercheval. The students are supervised by Professor Gary M. Maveal and Kathleen Graham, Director of Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services Elder Law Center in Redford, MI. Under supervision of the attorney students advise seniors on landlord-tenant and estate planning matters. Students are responsible for drafting wills, health care and financial powers of attorney and deeds.

Externship Program
Students work with non-profit or governmental organizations such as the United States Attorney; Wayne County Prosecutor; Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc.; and the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.

In addition, students can participate in judicial externships and work with judges in both state and federal courts. Recently, students have clerked with judges on the Michigan Supreme Court as well as participated in a special program with Federal District Court judges. Through the use of journals and thoughtful dialogue, students are encouraged to reflect on what they have encountered and learned during their experience.