Providing legal representation to victims of domestic violence in Jackson, Williamson and Union County.

Course Instructor: Staff Attorney Gail Thomas

The Domestic Violence Clinic is open to students who have completed 54 hours of law credit including evidence and civil procedure. These pre-requisites will allow students to obtain the Illinois Student Practice License so that they can represent clients and appear in court under the supervision of a licensed attorney from the Clinic. See the School of Law Rules relating to Clinics on the Clinic/Public Services web page for more details about enrollment in clinical courses.

In the Domestic Violence Clinic, students working with the program attorney, will represent victims of domestic violence in Jackson, Williamson and Union counties. In most clinic cases, students will be representing clients who are seeking orders of protection. Because order of protection cases are completed quickly after they are filed, students can expect to handle cases from the initial interview to a final court appearance. The clinic’s staff attorney supervises all legal work.

Students will learn and practice skills that are essential to any law practice. In an average order of protection case, students will interview the client, prepare the client for a hearing, appear before the court in a contested or uncontested hearing, prepare an order for the court, and follow through with the necessary steps to make the order enforceable. To accomplish all of these tasks will take skills in communication, counseling, problem solving, investigation and case management.

In addition to representing clients, the Domestic Violence Clinic has a classroom component in which students will learn the history of domestic violence, the current approach to domestic violence, and some of the problems with that approach. Students are also required to observe the court in action and assess what impact the court has on a victim and a perpetrator of domestic violence.

Domestic Violence Victim Representation Program

Providing legal representation to victims of domestic violence in Saline, Johnson, Pope, Alexander, Pulaski and Massac County

Although not a clinical program, students enrolled in the Domestic Violence Clinic will be eligible to “shadow” private attorneys representing victims of domestic violence in the six county are noted above. The Victim Representation Program is funded by a grant from Attorney General, Lisa Madigan’s Office. The program is coordinated by the Director of the Legal Clinic. Private attorneys are contracted with to accept referrals of domestic violence from victim advocates in the service area.
These attorneys will represent victims in the plenary order of protection hearing and other civil matters that will assist the victim in getting out of a violent situation. The Domestic Violence staff attorney serves as a legal resource to the contract attorneys as well as to victim advocates. Law students enrolled in the Domestic Violence Clinic are welcome to observe the contract attorneys in their work with victims if their class schedules allows.