One hallmark of a Richmond Law education is the breadth of opportunities we provide for students to apply what they are learning while they are learning. Our in-house clinics, externship programs, and clinical practicum courses help students engage in the hands-on application of their coursework. These opportunities enrich more than the law school experience; data show that students who get these experiences are more likely to thrive personally and professionally throughout their careers.
In this issue of Richmond Law, we highlight the impact of students engaging in real-world experiences while in law school. Continuing to provide these opportunities proved particularly challenging during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, when courts and so many other institutions limited their operations. But you’ll read about how the Children’s Defense Clinic pivoted from representing juveniles in court to advocating in parole hearings on behalf of prisoners who were convicted as juveniles.
Bubba Flores, now an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern Mariana Islands, notes that his approach to cases as a prosecutor has been shaped by his participation in the Children’s Defense and Wrongful Convictions clinics.
Professor Andrew Spalding’s book on the impact of megasports is also profiled. Spalding has always included students in his projects and arranged for some of them to travel with him to the World Cup in Brazil and the Olympics in South Korea. These students had a unique opportunity to provide critical assistance in interviewing officials and gathering first-hand information about the impact of these events on anti-corruption efforts.
These are just a few examples of our dedication to equipping students with the full range of critical skills they need to become great lawyers. We are committed to not only providing academic rigor, but also teaching students how to analyze, evaluate, and apply the information they are presented in the classroom long before they begin their careers.
