History and Mission                    

Created in 1990 as the brainchild of Catherine Greene Burnett, the Disability Clinic began representing indigent Harris county residents in administrative hearings before Soical Security Administration Law Judges. Continuing to build on South Texas College of Law's reputation of creating lawyers who "can hit the ground running", the Clinic reorganized and expanded in 1997 to the present General Civil Clinic. Still housed in the original facilities located 2 blocks from the main school building, the Clinic continues to provide direct client representation in the subject-matter areas of Social Security disability, family law, and probate-related issues.



The mission of each of the five clinics is to provide 2nd and 3rd year student interns with hands-on opportunities to build and enhance their lawyering skills in both a general and specialized manner while developing a sense of professional identity and community responsibility.

History of Clinical Programs         

January, 1971. The college initiated the first criminal law internship in Texas, with the cooperation of the Harris County District Attorney's Office and two Houston defense attorneys. Professor Ray Moses directed the criminal internship program for the college. South Texas also initiated civil practice internships under the direction of Professor John Ensle.

Fall, 1980 - South Texas College of Law interns worked at the Neighborhood Justice Clinic, a new program in Houston. The clinic, which presented an alternative to the formal court system, had begun offering mediation to resolve some civil and criminal disputes in Harris County and its vicinity.

Spring 1986 - Internship opportunities were available for the first time with the Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Performing Arts.

August 20, 1990 - The South Texas Disability Clinic, South Texas's first legal clinic, opened its doors at 1602 San Jacinto, formerly a vacant building. Seven student interns began the clinic program, most of whom would work well over the number of hours required to receive credit. While the physical space has not changed, the clinic has expanded into five onsite clinics, continuing to help those who might otherwise not receive legal counsel and to offer students an opportunity to experience the law firsthand.

November 1993 - The AIDS clinic was given faculty approval and became South Texas's fourth in-house clinic. Student participants in the clinic worked with attorneys involved in the AIDS project of the Houston Volunteer Lawyer's Program. South Texas won the Starr Insurance Law Moot Court Competition in Hartford, Connecticut. The winning team consisted of Christa Kearney '94, Jantha Reynolds'94, and Nathan Rymer '94.

The Council for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) was founded in 1994. It was dedicated to helping law students refine their advocacy skills in negotiations and to helping them learn ADR skills such as mediation.

 

 

 

                              

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                   

 

© 2008 SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW
Clinical Program