Student Admissions
Students participate in clinic orientation before the start of classes, after which they are sworn in to practice law as a Student Practitioner under the supervision of a Clinic Professor. Clinic students are assigned civil or criminal cases with jurisdiction in municipal, state, federal and/or administrative courts. Student Practitioners are expected to represent clients from the point of their case assignment through final disposition or the end of the course, whichever comes first.
Representation includes, but is not limited to, client interviews, fact investigation, informal and formal discovery, drafting and filing of pleadings, legal research, writing of fact and legal memoranda, communications with opposing counsel, court appearances, including trial and appellate work, and law office management. Student Practitioners must devote a minimum of 15 hours per week to clinic class and case work in this course.
Standard participation is two full semesters during the fall and spring semesters of the 3L year; however, certain sections of Law Clinic are offered for one semester only. For each semester of Law Clinic that a student successfully completes, he or she will earn five credit hours, letter graded, five hours of experiential learning credits, and fulfill the Law and Poverty Requirement.
Prerequisite: LAW L770 Lawyering III
Frequently Asked Questions
The Law Clinic application will be open from January 28 through February 20. After the deadline, each section's professor will receive all the applications that listed that section as a first preference. Professors will complete a first round of interviews, beginning on March 2. We will repeat that process until all spots are full.
We will follow the following recruitment schedule:
Application Launches: January 28
Application Deadline: February 20
Interview Period 1: March 2-16
Interview Period 2: March 18-25
Notify Applicants: March 27
We encourage students to research the various clinical sections offered and meet with clinical faculty to discuss your interests.
Students must apply to the Law Clinic in the spring semester of their second year of law school. For the 2026-2027 application, please apply by February 20, 2026.
Standard participation is two full semesters during the fall and spring semesters of the 3L year. Students should prepare for an exciting experience with the understanding you will be placed in a full immersion live-client clinic.
As a general rule, the Clinic requires a two-semester commitment. If you are a December graduate, please contact Dean Finger at dfinger@loyno.edu to discuss.
Law Clinic is one of the most popular enrollment options at Loyola. Students must apply by February 20, 2026. Clinic administration will let students know by the end of March whether they are accepted to the law clinic.
Once accepted, students must attend an orientation in August to learn clinic office procedures, be sworn in, and receive their cases. If accepted, students are presumed obligated to enroll in the course and complete two semesters, as placements are limited.
Yes, the Clinical Seminar satisfies the Law and Poverty requirement. To learn more about the Law and Poverty requirement and experiential requirement, please visit the bulletin.
Students are required to have successfully completed Lawyering III and be in good standing with an overall GPA of at least 2.0 for both semesters. Students must pass a character and fitness check and update their post-admission law school file with the dean's office regarding any character and fitness issues. Students must have completed at least four full-time semesters or have senior status, at least 55 credit hours.
The application will ask for information on courses taken and section preferences. The following questions are included on the application.
1. Why are you interested in your top ranked clinics (200-400 words)?
2. For next academic year, please describe any major time commitments outside of the Law Clinic (employment, teams, travel)?
3. Please prepare a brief statement below indicating why you wish to participate in the Clinical Program (200-400 words).
Students will be required to upload your resume and a copy of your unofficial transcript (PDF version only).
Each section will place 6-10 students.