THE VILLANOVA CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Through our in-house legal clinics, students gain invaluable hands-on experience while serving real clients in need facing critical legal issues.
Our clinics are one place where everything in our students’ journeys come together—they represent a convergence of classroom work, commitment to the common good and real-world practice. They are a place where students earn academic credit while having a formative experience through direct client representation, all on a pro bono basis. Under the direct supervision of a full-time faculty member, students learn by doing.
During their intensive semester-long clinic commitment, students are the primary advocates for their clients—interviewing, counseling, negotiating agreements, structuring deals, drafting legal documents or representing them in court. Depending on their client’s goals and needs, they may master strategies for negotiation, the art of fact investigation, executing a trial strategy or the benefits of being part of a collaborative team.
Most importantly, students practice ethical client-centered lawyering and reflect on whether justice is done in the legal system, all while serving the community and changing lives. Participating in a clinic allows students to actively live out Villanova’s mission—nurturing a concern for the common good and becoming responsible and productive citizens who build a just and peaceful world.
Our Clinics
A hallmark of the Villanova clinical experience is student responsibility for the legal representation of clients. Clinical students acquire fundamental lawyering skills by assuming direct responsibility for case management and preparation. The client is fundamentally your client.