Alumni of the clinic have gone on to become professional prosecutors for district attorney’s offices across the country, as well as for U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Department of Justice, and the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. As has become custom, Moore and Huber invited a panel of former students to speak during the fall–this time, all currently serving in Virginia as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys. The panelists agreed it was their clinical experience that directly led to the jobs they have today. “It was outstanding,” said Elliott Casey ’99, who now prosecutes for Albemarle County. “I wouldn’t have gotten the job that I got if I hadn’t worked for Ron [Huber, then an assistant commonwealth’s attorney] and the city of Charlottesville and had the opportunities that he gave me. I learned to practice law from Ron Huber.” The clinic requires students to work at least one day per week, either in preparation of ongoing cases or by participating in court, but Casey said, “I did every day I possibly could.” Comparing thirdyear practice to the joy of driving a car, he advised: “You should wake up in the morning and just grab the keys and go.” If enthusiasm is any measure, a show of hands indicated that the majority of the 30 students will pursue careers as prosecutors. The clinic started with only 12 students. Janet Webb, then an attorney with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., taught and ran the clinic for its first four years. “Just getting the experience of what the job is like both helped me get the job and made me want to go do it,” said Ben Traster ’08 of his
Clinic a Stepping Stone for Many Young Prosecutors By Eric Williamson
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he reality of burgeoning prosecutorial caseloads has turned into a significant career opportunity for Virginia Law students. Richard “Rick” Moore ’80, assistant commonwealth’s attorney for Orange County, directs the year-long Prosecution Clinic, placing students with participating state and federal prosecutors’ offices in Central Virginia—as he has done since taking over the program in 1998. Moore co-instructs the classroom component (which provides important context to the field office and court experience) with adjunct professor Ron Huber, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. In many instances, particularly in the Commonwealth’s offices where in-court experience is more likely, students have tried cases, even managed entire court dockets, by the end of their first semester. All students must have a third-year practice certificate from the Virginia State Bar to participate.
42 UVA Lawyer / Fall 2011