Advocacy

In advancing the mission "to advocate for clinical legal education," CLEA serves as a voice for clinical teachers and represents their interests inside and outside the academy. As such, CLEA has been a vigorous advocate on matters relating to clinical teachers and clinical legal education over the years. 

ABA Task Force on the Future of Legal Education

Academic Freedom and Security of Position

• CLEA's comments on alternatives to accreditation Standard 405 discussing the importance of secure faculty positions for experiential learning (Jan. 2014)
• CLEA's comments on the unintended consequences to changes in Accreditation Standard 405 by the Council for the Section of Legal
  Education and Admissions to the Bar. 
• The ABA's Security of Position Alternatives (as voted August 9, 2013)
• CLEA's letter to SRC regarding Accreditation Standard 405 (July 2013)
• CLEA's comments on the importance of Faculty Security of Position to Clinical Legal Education (June 2013)
• CLEA's comments regarding the Standards Review Committee's Process (Apr. 2013)
• CLEA's comments regarding Accreditation Standard 405 (Jan. 2013)
• Chart Comparing all 4 Proposals to Revise Std 405 (July 2011)
• Letter with Proposed Revisions to Std 405 (March 2011)
• Comment on Proposed Std 405 revisions (Dec 2010)
  
• Objections to Standards Review's process (Nov 2010)
  
• Comments on Review of Accreditation Standard 405 (Oct. 2010)
  
• Objections to Handling of Standards Review Committee's July draft (July 2010)
  
• Historical Background on Clinical Faculty Accreditation Standards (June 2010)
  
• Talking Points on Std. 405 (May 2010)
• Letter re Elimination of Ints 402-1 & 2 (Dec. 2008)
  
• Deans & Law Faculty Letter to ABA Council on 405(c) (July 2008)
• Statement on Report of ABA Council on Legal Education's Special  Committee on Security of Position (July 2008)
  
• Letter re Revisions to Int. 405-6 (Sept. 2007)
  
• Letter re Int. 405-6 (May 2007)
  
• Letter Requesting Clarification of Int. 405-6 (Mar. 2007)
• Letter on Proposed Revisions to Int. 405-8 & 405-8 (May 2005)
  
• Comment on Proposed Changes to Chp 4 (Mar. 2005)
  
• Comments on Proposed Changes to Chp 4 (Aug 2004)
  
• Comments on Proposed Changes to Chp 4 (Apr. 2004)
• Comments on Proposed Weakening of 405(c) (1999)

Law School Admissions

• Comments on Proposed Changes to Standards 501 and 5013 (2018)

Experiential Learning Standards

• Comments on Proposed Changes to Standard 303 and 304 (2018)

Standard Allowing Proposals for Amendments to the Standards

• CLEA's letter to the SRC regarding failure to provide any notice for proposed elimination of Standard 803(d) (Feb. 2014)

Bar Passage Requirements

• CLEA's comment to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on the 2020 Bar Examination (August 2020). 
• CLEA's statement of the Board of Directors on the 2020 Bar Examination (April 2020)
• CLEA's joint statement again rejecting ABA resolution to amend Standard 316 (February 2019)
• CLEA comment rejecting ABA resolution to amend Standard 316 (January 2019)
• CLEA comment regarding ABA’s proposed revision for Standard 316 (July 2016)
  
• CLEA & SALT's comment on proposed Standard 316 -- Bar Passage (Jan. 2014)
• CLEA & SALT's comment on Standard 316 -- Bar Passage (Oct. 2013)
• CLEA & SALT's Bar Passage Statement (April 2013)
• CLEA's comments on Standard 309 and Erica Moeser's memorandum regarding Bar Passage rates (Jan 2013)
• CLEA's comments regarding proposed Standard 309, "bar passage."
• CLEA Bar Passage Statement (July 2011)

• Comments on Recommendations of Special Committee (Oct. 2010)

Resources/Articles

• The Evolution of ABA Standards for Clinical Faculty (2008)
• Evolution of ABA Externship Standards: Steps in the Right Direction (2004) 

Briefs and Other Advocacy

CLEA prepares amicus briefs and other advocacy documents on matters relevant to clinical legal education and the professors who teach in clinical courses:

• CLEA's statement on Anti-Racist Legal Education (April 21, 2021).
• CLEA's joint statement with the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) and others, to the Council on the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar urging the Council to increase transparency in its processes and engage in meaningful dialogue with all interested constituencies before making decisions that affect law schools and the legal profession (February 20, 2019).
• CLEA submitted a letter to the Council of the ABA Section on Legal Education & Admissions to the Bar regarding the Standards Review Committee's Planning Retreat (Sept. 8, 2016).
• CLEA submitted a letter to the California State Bar regarding the proposed 15-unit experiential bar admission requirement (July 18,2016).
• CLEA submitted comment on the Bar Admission Skills Competency Proposal of the New York Court of Appeals Task Force on Experiential Learning and Admission to the Bar (November 9, 2015).
• CLEA's letter regarding proposal that New York State adopt the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). 
• CLEA's Amicus Brief regarding EAJA fees in Veteran's cases
  

• CLEA's Report to ABA Council (Dec. '14)
  

• CLEA’s comment on the Phase II Implementing Recommendations of the California Task Force on Admissions Regulation (September 11, 2014)
  

• CLEA's letter to the California State Bar Regulation, Admissions and Discipline Committee regarding the final report of the Task Force on Admissions Regulation Reform (September 5, 2013).
  

• CLEA's letter to John Streeter, Chairman of California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (June 10, 2013)
• CLEA's second comment to the California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (May 30, 2012)
• CLEA's comments to California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (April 17, 2012)
• CLEA's comments to the Department of Education's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, concerning the American Bar Association Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar's Petition for Renewal of Recognition (June 2011).
  
• Legislative Threat Against Louisiana Clinical Programs: CLEA Letter (May 2010)
  
• Legislative Threat Against Univ. of Maryland Clinical Program: CLEA Statement (Mar. 2010)
  
• Sussex Commons v. Rutgers (application of public records act to law clinic files):
  
• NJ Sup Court Amicus Brief (Dec. 2010)
  
• Appellate Court Amicus Brief (May 2009)
  
• Trial Court Opinion (N.J. Superior Ct., Oct. 2008)
  
• Trial Court Amicus Brief (May 2008)
  
• Wishnatsky v. Rovner (challenge to right of clinic to choose clients and cases)
  
• 8th Circuit Amicus Brief (Dec. 2004)
  
• District Court Amicus Brief (May 2004)
  
• North Dakota Attorney General Op. (2003-L-42, Sept. 2003)
  
• Comments to North Dakota Attorney General (Sept. 2003)
  
• Louisiana Student Practice Rule (La. Sup. Ct. restrictions on student practice)
• 5th Circuit Amicus Brief (Jan. 2000)
  
• District Court Amicus Brief (1999)
  
• Press Release & Complaint (Apr. 1999)
  
• Comments to La. Supreme Court (Dec. 1997)
  
• Palm v. Univ. of Chicago: Amicus Brief (Mar. 2008)

Resources

• Lawyering in the Academy: The Intersection of Academic Freedom and Professional Responsibility (2009)
• An Ethics Critique of Interference in Law School Clinics (2003)
• Guide to Building or Renovating Clinical Space (2002)
• Political Interference with Clinical Legal Education: Denying Access to Justice (1999)
• ABA Statement on Interference in Clinical Programs (1997)
• Political Interference in Law School Clinical Programs: Reflections on Outside Interference and Academic Freedom (1984)