August 19, 2026
St. Mary’s Law students gain hands-on experience while assisting residents in six growing clinics
With the recent addition of the Microenterprise and Community Development Clinic, St. Mary’s Law’s six clinics in its Center for Legal and Social Justice provide legal service and information to individuals who could not otherwise afford legal representation.
The five established clinics are the Consumer Protection Clinic, Criminal Justice Clinic, Family Law Clinic, Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, and the Real Estate Clinic.
Clinics’ success in 2025
- Closed 475 cases
- Benefitted 745 individuals with an average annual household income of $18,625
- Participated in more than 50 community events, informing approximately 1,400 individuals about their legal rights
Clinic cases include:
- Representing individuals in divorce, adoption, name change and estate planning matters, and advising the court on the best interests of children in custody proceedings
- Assisting microenterprises to strengthen their operations and financial future (See story on new clinic)
- Preventing tenants from being wrongfully evicted and securing clear title to homes passed down for generations (See related story)
- Ensuring a fair trial to individuals facing criminal prosecution
- Representing immigrants who are victims of trafficking and other crimes
Student involvement in 2025-2026 academic year
- 120 students completed a clinical course
- 15 students went on to serve as Teaching or Research Assistants, extending their learning and service with the clinics
Participation in the Clinical Program enhances our students’ understanding of the unmet legal needs in our community and the responsibility and opportunities to provide pro bono service as practicing attorneys. As a result, St. Mary’s Law clinics amplify the legal services provided to those in need in our community, now and into the future.