Family Law Practice Concentration
Family law practice takes place almost entirely in state district courts and is a model for civil law practice in general. Students represent clients in a wide variety of family law matters. Interns
- interview and counsel clients
- file pleadings
- gather evidence
- negotiate with adverse counsel
- argue at hearings and
- file final orders
Students completing this clinic practice develop various skills necessary to understand and practice civil law. Those students especially interested in family law will also become far better acquainted with the substantive law.
One advantage of family law practice is that many of the cases can begin and end in one semester, allowing a student the opportunity to handle all aspects of a case. However, even the cases that must be transferred from one student to another usually can be completed within a year, providing the students a complete understanding of the entire case.
Cases handled include
- divorces
- paternity actions
- adoptions and
- guardianships.
Many clinic clients have been abused, exposing students to the issues in domestic violence and the remedies available to protect victims of abuse. Other issues that may arise include determining how a divorce could affect a client's immigration status; establishing guardianship on behalf of a client over an emancipated child who suffered severe brain damage; and representing an incarcerated client being sued by the welfare department to collect back child support and establish current support.
The family law practice concentration is the capstone experience for students interested in Washburn Law's Children and Family Law Center, providing them an exciting and rewarding method to learn about the actual practice of family law.
