Civil Litigation Field Clinic
Sections:
Litigate for Justice. Advocate with Purpose.
When a parent is fighting for custody, a survivor is seeking protection or a family is facing legal barriers; the stakes couldn’t be higher. At the Civil Litigation Clinic, Drexel Kline Law students stand beside them in court and advocate for their safety, rights and dignity.
During the year, students serve—under close supervision—as lead counsel in family court, handling real cases for low-income Philadelphians. With guidance from faculty and legal aid attorneys, they gain the skills and confidence to advocate with purpose.
^Top
Family Court Experience as a 3L
If you’re ready to work directly with clients and take responsibility for meaningful casework, the Civil Litigation Clinic offers exactly that opportunity. Open to 3Ls who have taken or are currently taking Evidence and Professional Responsibility, the clinic is a yearlong experience built around mentorship, real courtroom advocacy, and public service.
Students are learning law, judgment, empathy and how to hold space for clients in crisis. That’s what makes someone not only a lawyer, but the kind of advocate people remember
Erica Kane, clinic director
^Top
Take the Lead on Real Cases
As a student in the Civil Litigation Clinic, you can:
- Serve as lead counsel (with close supervision) in child custody, support and protection from abuse (PFA) cases, as well as other civil legal matters such as housing, public benefits or tax issues when they intersect with family needs
- Conduct client intakes and draft legal advice letters
- Draft motions, prepare evidence and appear in court
- Collaborate with attorneys at Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA)
- Participate in pro bono shifts at the Philadelphia Family Court
- Meet regularly with the clinic director for case prep and reflection
You’ll manage your cases and stay in close contact with clients, building trust while preparing for court.
Students in these clinics are preparing for their careers and changing lives by providing critical legal services to people who would otherwise go unrepresented.
Richard Frankel, Associate Dean of Experiential Learning Programs
^Top
Stand with Clients Who Need You Most
Clinic clients navigate family court while also confronting poverty, trauma, language barriers and systemic inequities. Many are survivors of domestic violence. Students help ensure that these individuals are heard, informed and represented.
While working with people who’ve been through a lot, it’s our job to help them understand their rights and feel supported through every step.
Victoria Carvalho Salles, JD ’25
^Top
Build Courtroom Confidence and Judgment
You can gain skills to take into many legal settings:
- First-chair trial advocacy experience
- Client counseling and trauma-informed communication
- Legal research, writing and procedural strategy
- Courtroom judgment and confidence under pressure
Regardless of your path—litigation, public interest or in-house—the clinic aims to provide you with hands-on litigation training that you’ll carry into your legal career.
The Civil Litigation Clinic taught me how to carry the pressure of litigation and how to be credible in court. It’s the most valuable thing I’ve done in law school.
Derek Schlax, JD ’25
^Top
Mentorship that Makes You Courtroom-ready
Clinic director Erica Kane offers ongoing mentorship, including regular strategy sessions, hearing prep and real-time feedback. Students also work alongside attorneys at PLA, gaining exposure to diverse approaches and client experiences.
- Frequent one-on-one supervision
- Guided preparation for each hearing
- Coaching on client communication and emotional resilience
- A close-knit, collaborative learning environment
I get to watch students grow throughout the year—in skill, judgment, confidence and empathy. That’s the most meaningful part of the work.
Erica Kane, clinic director
^Top
Clinic in Action
Real Clients. Real Responsibility. Real Impact.
In the clinic, students work with people navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives, parents seeking custody, survivors requesting protection or families dealing with overlapping legal challenges like housing instability, language barriers or access to benefits. Each case brings a new opportunity to step up, apply the law—and make a difference.
^Top
Why It Matters
After their experience in the clinic, students take away more than courtroom skills—they carry a deeper understanding of justice and what it means to stand up for someone in crisis.
^Top