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
Comment to the ABA Task Force on the Future of Legal Education (June 2013)
ABA Accreditation Standards
CLEA plays a constant role monitoring and commenting on matters relevant to professors who teach in clinics and skills courses taken up by the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, its Council, its Standards Review Committee, and other relevant bodies. The current standards for approval of law schools can be found at this site. Below are filings on CLEA’s behalf:
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Letter to the ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar regarding the addition of proposed Standard 303(c) June 2021)
Comment on Interpretation 305-2 and the Question of Paid Externships in Law Schools (July 2015)
Memorandum to the Council, Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the Standards Review Committee and the ABA Section of Legal Education regarding the Proposed Revision of Standard 305(e)(6) to Permit Externships for Part-Time Students After the First Year
Letter to the ABA Section of Legal Education regarding the Process for considering paid externships (Feb. 2014)
Interpretation of Standard 305-3 and the question of paid externships in law schools (Jan. 2014)
Comments on Standard 303's 15 Experiential Credits Proposal (Jan. 2014)
The ABA's Proposed Changes to Chapter 3 (voted August 9, 2013).
Letter to SRC regarding Chapter 3, Program of Legal Education (July 2013)
Comment on Draft Standard 303(a)(3) & Proposal for Amendment to Existing Standard 302(a)(4) to Require 15 Credits in Experiential Courses (July 2013)
Comments regarding Student Outcomes and Related Curricular Provisions of Ch. 3--Program of Legal Education (Oct. 2012)
Comments regarding Proposed Standards 302, Learned Outcomes, and 304, Curriculum (Apr. 2012)
Comments to Standards Review Comm(July 2010)
Talking Points on Outcome Measures(May 2010)
Comments to Standards Review Comm (Oct. 2009)
Comments to Council(Aug. 2008)
Comments re: Proposed Changes to Chp. 3 (Apr 2004)
Testimony on Proposed Int. 304-9 (May 2003)
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Comments on alternatives to accreditation Standard 405 discussing the importance of secure faculty positions for experiential learning (Jan. 2014)
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)
Letter to SRC regarding Accreditation Standard 405 (July 2013)
Comments on the importance of Faculty Security of Position to Clinical Legal Education (June 2013)
Comments regarding the Standards Review Committee's Process (Apr. 2013)
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)
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Comments on Proposed Changes to Standards 501 and 5013 (2018)
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Comments on Proposed Changes to Standard 303 and 304 (2018)
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Letter to the SRC regarding failure to provide any notice for proposed elimination of Standard 803(d) (Feb. 2014)
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Comment to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on the 2020 Bar Examination (August 2020).
Statement of the Board of Directors on the 2020 Bar Examination (April 2020)
Joint statement again rejecting ABA resolution to amend Standard 316 (February 2019)
CLEA comment rejecting ABA resolution to amend Standard 316 (January 2019)
Comment regarding ABA’s proposed revision for Standard 316 (July 2016)
Comment on proposed Standard 316 -- Bar Passage (Jan. 2014)
Comment on Standard 316 -- Bar Passage (Oct. 2013)
Bar Passage Statement (April 2013)
Comments on Standard 309 and Erica Moeser's memorandum regarding Bar Passage rates (Jan 2013)
Comments regarding proposed Standard 309, "bar passage."
Bar Passage Statement (July 2011)
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Comments on Recommendations of Special Committee (Oct. 2010)
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Statement on Anti-Racist Legal Education (April 21, 2021).
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 transparencyin 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).
Letter regarding proposal that New York State adopt the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE).
Amicus Brief regarding EAJA fees in Veteran's cases
Report to ABA Council (Dec. '14)
comment on the Phase II Implementing Recommendations of the California Task Force on Admissions Regulation (September 11, 2014)
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).
Letter to John Streeter, Chairman of California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (June 10, 2013)
Second comment to the California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (May 30, 2012)
Comments to California State Bar Task Force on Admissions Regulations Reform (April 17, 2012)
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):
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)
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