WashULaw provides a guaranteed funding of $3000 to first-year law students to allow them to take on public interest jobs and setting that may not provide as much funding. Second year students may also apply for funding. These public interest fellowships allow for public service employment in the St. Louis area and beyond through non-profits, government, Non-Government Organizations, and Private public interest firms.
The Wrongful Conviction Clinic provides students with the opportunity to work with people who believe they have been wrongfully conviction (with credibility) in Missouri, and occasionally in neighboring states. Students work in partnership with clinic lawyers.
The Prosecution Law Clinic at WashULaw provides legal experience in the criminal prosecution system at the state trial level. In work with the St. Louis County’s Prosecutor’s Office, law students serve as Rule 13 certified attorneys. Students may help with organization and management to factual investigation.
This clinical practicum provides students with instruction in the laws and policies governing post-conviction relief in capital and life without parole cases coupled with lawyering experience in handling ongoing cases in Missouri and other capital jurisdictions. The course is taught by adjunct professors who litigate capital cases in Missouri and other states.
Students in the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) at WashULaw help low-income taxpayers in disputes with the Internal Revenue Services (IRS). Since 2014, the LITC has provided over 34,000 hours of free legal services to residents primarily in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.
The Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic (IEC) at WashULaw handles environmental and community health cases. All cases are pro bono and are mostly concentrated to Missouri and Illinois with some being on the national level. Unlike many other clinics, the IEC work as an interdisciplinary team including students from law, engineering, arts and sciences, public health, medicine, business, and architecture.
The Intellectual Property Clinic provides legal services to the St. Louis community pro bono. WashULaw students have the opportunity to develop their understanding and application of intellectual property law. Intellectual property law matters include copyright matters, patent matters, right of publicity matters, trademark matters, and trade secret matters.
The Immigration Law Clinic represents St. Louis clients in immigration proceedings. Students are able to assist with issues such as naturalization, adjustment of status, family-reunification, obtaining employment benefits, deportation defense, and petitions for asylum.
WashULaw students in the First Amendment Clinic provide legal assistance to St. Louis organizations, students, journalists, and citizens who are dealing with First Amendment rights. The clinic focuses primarily on local and regional issues as they help with legal research all the way to oral and written advocacy.
WashULaw students in the Entrepreneurship Clinic provide advice and legal assistance to individuals and entities in all entrepreneurship endeavors. The clinic helps with start-ups and small businesses and non-profit organizations.