The University of Alabama School of Law
The University of Alabama School of Law
The University of Alabama School of Law Clinic Program consists of six in-house clinics (Appellate Advocacy, Children's Rights, Criminal Defense, Civil Law, Domestic Violence Law, Entrepreneurship & Nonprofit, and Mediation Law) and the Veteran's Law Project that all help provide hands-on training to students while also providing free legal assistance to members of the community.
Contact:
Hours: Office open Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.n. to 4:45 p.m.
Provides free legal assistance to plaintiffs, defendants and amici curiae in civil, criminal, and administrative appellate matters.
The Children's Rights Clinic, in conjunction with Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, works to ensure that youth with disabilities that are involved with juvenile justice system have their disability needs met and their rights protected. There is no fee for the services or income qualification to qualify, qualification is determined through juvenile court. Through this clinic program, the students and staff attorneys provide legal assistance on matters such as: juvenile justice, special education, children's mental health services, bullying, and foster care.
| Services Provided |
| Visiting children that are being held in detention |
| Monitoring juvenile detention, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, Department of Youth Services facilities, and correction facilities where juveniles are being incarcerated |
| Investigating allegations of abuse and neglect against youth in such settings |
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Providing technical assistance to youth with disabilities and their families in developing and maintaining appropriate services available by right in school systems |
| Providing technical assistance to school systems who seek assistance in developing and maintaining appropriate plans and services for students in their system |
| Attending court settings as advocates |
| Attending educational meetings as advocates |
| Providing technical assistance to families, attorneys and advocates assisting youth with disabilities involved in the juvenile system, particularly to identify community services in lieu of placement |
This clinic provides free legal assistance to people charged with low-level offenses in Tuscaloosa and neighboring counties. The clinic has handled a wide variety of cases over the years, however, they can't take on every case. Below is a list of cases that they have worked on over the years, as well as a list of situations in which they won't take your case.
| Will Take | Won't Take |
|---|---|
| Resisting Arrest | You are charged with a felony |
| Disorderly Conduct | You are in jail and can't make bail |
| Possession of Marijuana | You have already been convicted and want to appeal or file a Rule 32 |
| Possession of Drug Paraphernalia | You just want help suing the police, jail, or prison |
| Public Intoxication | Your case is in a courthouse more than 1 hour away from the University of Alabama School of Law |
| Menacing | You already have a public defender assigned to your case |
| Assault, Harassment | – |
| Domestic Violence | – |
| Soliciting Prostitution | – |
| Trespassing | – |
| Theft | – |
| Receipt of Stolen Property | – |
| Possession of a Fire Arm without a Permit | – |
| Driving Under the Influence (DUI) | – |
| Minor in Possession of Alcohol | – |
| Traffic Offenses | – |
| Expungements | – |
Provides free legal assistance on a full range of civil matters and certain municipal infractions to University of Alabama students and to others on a referral basis. Provides advice and services on matters such as:
| Civil Matters That They'll Take |
|
Landlord/Tenant Disputes |
| Employment Concerns |
| Contract Issues |
| Automobile Accidents |
| Insurance Claims |
| Consumer Complaints |
| Financial and Debt Management |
| Drivers' License Problems |
| Alcohol Violations |
| Limited Domestic Relations |
| Civil Rights Claims |
The clinic provides free legal services to survivors of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault in Tuscaloosa. There are no income restrictions on qualifying for services from the clinic. Some of the legal assistance that is offered is protection from abuse, family law, housing, employment, and other legal matters as needed. They also provide outreach and educational services to inform survivors, service providers, and law enforcement personnel about legal rights and remedies to address domestic violence.
The Entrepreneurship & Nonprofit clinic is an E-Clinic that provides pro bono, transactional legal services to micro and small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs, social enterprises, nonprofit organizations, community development organizations, and authors, artists, musicians, and student and professional athletes in both urban and rural counties of Alabama. There is no fee for the services that are provided, however, clients will be responsible for covering all administrative fees and other expenses associated with the representation.
They provide the full suite of transactional legal services to new and existing organizations, including:
| Will Do | Won't Do |
|
Pre-venture counseling to founders and co-founders:
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Writing business plans |
|
Choice of entity counseling and drafting of organizational and operational documents
|
Preparing income tax returns |
|
Strategizing, negotiating, and drafting agreements
|
Prosecuting patents |
|
Employee management counseling
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Providing assistance with initiating or defending litigation or business disputes |
|
Intellectual property counseling
|
– |
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Regulatory Compliance with risk management (excluding tax advice and preparing tax forms)
|
– |
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Non-profit counseling and board governance training
|
– |
| Counseling to individual professionals in the arts, sports, and entertainment industries |
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Provides free legal mediation on matters involving family courts to University of Alabama students and to others on a referral basis. They provide services on matters such as: divorce actions (child support, visitation, alimony, and the distribution of property) and post-divorce actions (such as changes in support or visitation).