Civil Rights Appellate Clinic (IHAPC)

This clinical offering will provide exposure to drafting merits and amicus briefs in non-criminal civil rights cases in the state courts, federal appellate courts, and the United States Supreme Court. Cases may derive from various sources, such as civil rights advocacy organizations, Third Circuit pro bono referrals and from Penn State Law professors. In addition to brief preparation, students will participate in identifying potential cases for the clinic, case selection and the development of appropriate appellate strategy. This offering will provide intensive training in appellate advocacy by involving students in non criminal civil rights cases before the state appellate courts, federal courts of appeal and the United States Supreme Court. Students will assist in case selection, the development of substantive legal positions, provide research, assist in appellate strategy development and draft briefs. In working on these cases students will have exposure to top civil rights and appellate litigators in the country. In addition to this work, there will be classroom sessions which will be augmented by presentations by experts in the field and attendance at oral arguments when appropriate.