Fields of Practice
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General Civil Practice
Domestic: Students represent adults and children in divorce, custody, and support cases. Student attorneys become familiar with all facets of domestic litigation, including the use of mental health experts and the dynamics of domestic abuse. Students also represent clients in paternity and child support cases.
Juvenile: Clinic students have conducted litigation resulting in fundamental changes in adoption and child in need of care laws in Louisiana. Students are appointed to protect the rights of children and parents in the juvenile justice system. In abuse and neglect cases or delinquency cases, students provide vigorous advocacy at all levels of the judicial system, including the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Immigration: Students represent clients in deportation and exclusion proceedings on issues of rights to enter or remain in the United States, as well as on issues of relief from deportation such as asylum. Immigration cases give students a unique opportunity to interact with persons of many different nationalities; clients come from Haiti, Cuba, Russia, China, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Ethiopia and other countries.
Civil Rights: Students also represent clients in civil rights, employment discrimination, housing, consumer, prisoner's rights, and a variety of administrative cases which include education, social security, and public assistance benefits.
Criminal Law Practice
Students in the criminal law practice represent defendants before criminal district court judges. Student attorneys handle full jury trials on misdemeanor and felony matters. Loyola students have argued criminal issues before trial courts, appellate courts, and the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Field Placement Programs
The clinic places a limited number of students in local district attorney's offices and with the Internal Revenue Service. Students in these placements work under the supervision of experienced attorneys and conduct hearings and trials. The students are also supervised by a Loyola clinical professor, who helps the students focus on the societal impact of their work.