The Domestic Violence and Civil Protection Order Clinic opened in the fall of 2005 under the direction of Professor Margaret Drew.  The Clinic is in partnership with Legal Aid of Greater Cincinnati.     The clinic provides representation in civil protection order hearings to victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault and human trafficking.  Students, under the supervision of licensed attorneys, practice in both the domestic relations court located at 800 Broadway and the Court of Common Pleas located at 1000 Main Street.  The Legal Aid location of 215 E. 9th Street provides easy access to the courts.  A Legal Aid attorney devotes half time to the clinic, supervising students along with Professor Drew.

The Clinic works closely with Rape Crisis and Abuse Center in both receiving referrals and in referring our clients for assistance with safety planning and counseling.   In addition, the Clinic works with other community resources in an effort to assist our clients in achieving safety and economic independence.

Students engage in full representation of clients from the initial interview through court representation.  Relationships with clients can span a few weeks or a few months, depending upon the needs of the client and court scheduling.  While the major part of representation revolves around the preparation for court hearings related to civil protection orders, the students also assist clients in meeting other needs, such as safety planning, referrals for shelter, housing, and public benefits.  Being housed at Legal Aid provides the clinic with a wonderful opportunity to refer clients to lawyers within Legal Aid who might be able to assist in meeting the client’s other legal needs, such as divorce.  On occasion, the clinic has filed appellate briefs on behalf of their clients.  

The Clinic provides a superb opportunity for students to learn the skills necessary for effective client representation.  After completing forty-hour training, the students begin the full representation of clients.    Students develop skills in interviewing, investigation, negotiation, drafting pleadings and correspondence as well as direct and cross-examination.   Weekly classes are held at the law school.  Classes address various aspects of domestic violence, as well case rounds and self-care.

Students consistently rank their clinic experience as one of their best law school experiences.    In addition to learning the subject matter from someone with over 25 years experience in the field, students feel supported as they learn practical skills under the supervision of supportive attorneys.

The clinic practice moves at a very fast pace.  Civil protection order hearings are ordinarily accomplished within 2-4 weeks of the initial client interview.  Given the volume of cases that the clinic handles, along with the accelerated hearing schedule, students often rely on each other to assist with cases that are pending hearing.  The ability to work quickly and cooperatively is critical to the student’s experience.

The clinic is limited to six students.  Preference is given to third year students, although on occasion the clinic has opened enrollment to second year students.  Prospective students must complete an application process and be interviewed.  Students should not list the clinic as one of their lottery choices as the clinic will conduct its own selection of students.  While not mandatory, students are encouraged to take evidence and civil trial practice either prior to taking the clinic or contemporaneously.   Prior domestic violence experience is neither required nor preferred.

The clinic is a demanding course.  Students work at Legal Aid for twelve hours per week, attend a 2.5-hour class and commit to one hour of individual supervision.  The clinic is a six-credit course, four of which are classroom credit.   By all accounts, the work is rewarding and well worth the time commitment. 

Feel free to contact Prof. Drew at (513) 556-0193 or at margaret.drew@uc.edu.

The Legal Externship Program
From positions with the prosecutor's office to city government to the corporate world, the Legal Externship Program provides students with a "real world" experience in their area of law. Students gain practical legal experience in lieu of or in addition to paid or volunteer legal work. Find out more about this program. 

The Clinical Opportunity Program
Representing victims of domestic violence, working as a freedom fighter to free wrongly convicted felons, or investigating immigration cases for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals are just a few of the clinical opportunities available at the College of Law. The College of Law supports clinical opportunities for The Domestic Relations/Domestic Violence Clinic, The Rosenthal institute for Justice/Ohio Innocence Project, the criminal Defense Clinic, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Clinic. See if one of these opportunities is right for you.