[ Tales from the Clinics ] In his final semester at Moritz, Ellis enrolled in the Criminal Defense Clinic, which offered a different kind of experience with a different type of client. “In the Criminal Defense Clinic, the stakes are high because there is a possibility of your client having to serve jail time. The clients often view you as their last hope,” Ellis said. “You have to be confident, committed to the cases, and reassuring toward the clients so they’ll know you are putting forth your best effort.” He said a key lesson he learned was how to work collegially with opposing prosecutors. Additionally, his clinic experience allowed him to refine a wide variety of skills. “It was an opportunity to match theory with actual practice, match theory with real cases and real clients,” Ellis said. “You have the opportunity to make creative arguments — nothing is outside the realm of possibility because you’re working with a licensed, experienced professional.” Ellis called his clinic experience “rewarding” because he felt he had a positive impact on his clients’ lives. “It was really satisfying,” he said. “Some clients would hug me or cry and express sincere thanks. Some offered to take me out to dinner. They were just so thankful to have someone there to help them in their time of need. So that was just a bonus on top of the practical experience.” AR
TODD CALLENTINE.
Children Clinic as a 3L, practice outside the classroom was a vital part of her law education. Being able to practice law while having the safety of a professor to supervise her and keep her on track made her feel comfortable. “It was nice not having to have my first real legal experience be out in the real world, where I’m on my own,” she said. “So I think it’s just a way for me to take what I learned in the classroom and actually be able to apply it, but at the same time get experience without being worried that I’m making a big mistake.” Zaiem’s biggest surprise from participating in the clinic was the juxtaposition between the chaos of the court and how long it can take for a case to process. “I had one case that I thought was going to be a simple, open-and-shut case, and then it ended up lasting the whole semester. As far as I know, it’s still not over yet,” she said. In the Justice for Children Clinic, Zaiem had a slightly different clientele than those who participated in other litigation clinics — her clients were all minors. “One of the things I was worried about was that while I had some legal experience, I had never really had to interact with a child as a client,” Zaiem said. “So one of the things early on that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do was communicate effectively with them. It’s a very complicated process for the average person, let alone a child.” Charles Ellis ’13 also participated in the Justice for Children Clinic, specifically working with abuse and neglect cases, as well as a juvenile delinquency case. “When working with the child welfare system, you can have a case where that particular child’s interest is not directly aligned with what the law says should happen,” Ellis said. “But sometimes we can find an exception and make a case as to why the course embraced by the child is superior. For example if the law says that it is time for the child to go back and live with their family, but the child is doing well and desires to remain with their foster family, we would want to explore all options that would meet the child’s needs and interest. The interest of the child is the No. 1 priority.” He said in regards to working on a juvenile delinquency case, he appreciated learning how the system is geared toward rehabilitation for the child involved. “It’s satisfying that you, along with the court, are working toward actual rehabilitation in a criminal case in juvenile court,” he said. “Sometimes kids make bad decisions that lead to them facing charges, but it’s not too late to turn their lives around if they want to.”
“One of the things I was worried about was that while I had some legal experience, I had never really had to interact with a child as a client.” -Nadia Zaiem ’13
Nadia Zaiem ’03 and Assistant Clinical Professor of Law Kimberly Jordan pose during a break from proceedings as part of the Justice for Children Clinic.
Moritz College of Law | S U M M E R 2 0 1 3
57