Students in the Appeal for Youth Clinic will support appellate representation to protect the constitutional rights of children and parents.
Depending on several factors, a team of two students will work on either a civil appeal regarding legal issues arising from foster care proceedings or criminal appeals on behalf of youthful offenders in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Civil appeals most commonly challenge the necessity of child removals or continued need of foster care while criminal appeals most commonly focus on post-conviction relief. Students in this clinic will gain experiencing interviewing and counseling clients, identifying legal errors and drafting appellate briefs, and working with appointed counsel to prep cases for oral argument. Students will learn how to understand and persuasively tell their client’s story, frame compelling, novel legal arguments, and ultimately safeguard the fundamental rights of families under the Georgia and United States constitutions.
Students are expected to work a minimum of 150 hours in the clinic over the semester (approximately 11 hours per week including the weekly clinic meeting) and receive 3 units of credit for their work.
How to Apply
Application: Applications for the fall semester are accepted the previous spring semester, with interviews and rolling admissions offered shortly after the application deadline.
Eligibility: The Barton Appeal for Youth Clinic is open to second- and third-year law students.
Prerequisites/Co-requisites: There are no prerequisites or co-requisites for the Appeal for Youth Clinic. Selection for the clinic is highly competitive, however, so relevant coursework and/or experience in juvenile and criminal law is preferred. Interviews are scheduled as applications are received and decisions are made shortly after the interviews.
The Application Process: Applications will be accepted either through Symplicity (Jobs > Clinics) or by submitting a complete application packet to Prof. Christopher Church.
Schedule for Fall 2025
- Student Application Period: February 12 – February 26, 2025
- Interview Period: March 4 – March 22, 2025
- Offers Released: March 25, 2025
- Deadline to Respond to Offers: March 28, 2025
Please reach out to shreeca.lott@emory.edu with questions.