Loyola Law School second- and third-year students are eligible to apply to the course. The course and clinic begin in the fall, and students must submit applications and interview in the preceding spring.  All students must interview as part of the application process.

Interested students please keep an eye out for announcements for the program and applications via majordomo emails.

Information Sheet for Juvenile Justice Clinic

In the Clinic, students represent children charged with crimes in the delinquency system.   The class meets twice a week, tentatively Tuesday, Thursday from 3:20 p.m. to 5:20 p.m..  Each student must also choose one day weekly to be his or her court day.  Students cannot schedule any classes on their court day, and must be available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on that day.  

The balance of the substantive units versus clinical units is as follows:  Fall - four units of substantive juvenile delinquency law/procedure and trial advocacy, two clinical units; Spring – four clinical units and two substantive units of juvenile delinquency law/procedure and trial advocacy.  The emphasis in the Fall is to develop the skills and knowledge base necessary to effectively represent clients in court.  In the Spring, the focus is on the actual representation of clients and on the larger policy issues presented by the juvenile delinquency system.  Because the course is a year long, and the substantive classes are interwoven, students must complete the year in order to receive credit for the class.  Students must complete 56 hours of work for every clinical unit awarded.   

Students are assigned cases periodically throughout the year.  All of the Center’s cases are assigned out of the Inglewood Juvenile Court and the Eastlake Juvenile Court.  Our clients may be out of custody or in custody.  Students are required to attend all proceedings, in court and out, as well as meet with their clients and their families regularly.    

Each student is responsible for all aspects of preparing the case for trial, including: interviewing, discovery, investigations, written motion work, trial and post sentencing matters. 

Students must have an automobile and/or be able to travel independently for the purposes of investigating their cases, serving motions, appearing in court and meeting with clients. 

The Center has a social worker on staff, and all students are required to engage the social worker regularly as their cases develop.  Each student is required to meet regularly with their assigned clinical professor for a minimum of two hours per week to review the student’s work and to ensure case development.  

Students must be certified by the State Bar as "certified law students".  The application for certification is available at the Center for Juvenile Law and Policy (CJLP).  The applications must be submitted to the Center and approved by the State Bar prior to the first day of class.  Applications may take up to 5 weeks to process.  Students are responsible for all submissions to the State Bar.  Students must have a minimum GPA of 75 to apply and are expected to comply with all responsibilities as enumerated in the “Loyola Law School Off Campus Externship Policies and Procedures,” which is also available at the CJLP.  

All prospective students are required to submit an application with a resumé and to interview with Professors Liu, Shultz, and Yamashiro.  Download application here.  Students must complete the contact information section on the application in order to be notified of the interview dates and times.  A printed copy of an e-mail sent to a student will be deemed sufficient notice of the upcoming interview dates. 

The Clinic is suited for the student who can demonstrate interest in criminal defense or juvenile delinquency, possesses a temperament suited for oral advocacy, and who has strong communication skills.  Consideraion will be given to students who have had experience working in the criminal justice system or with children.  Students must demonstrate a willingness to be flexible and the maturity to assume responsibility for representing children.

Course Description – Juvenile Justice Clinic

The Juvenile Justice Clinic course offers students a unique opportunity for in-depth study of California juvenile delinquency law and procedure, as well as practical litigation experience.  This course is a year-long, twelve-unit course comprised of a three-unit advanced criminal litigation skills course, a three-unit juvenile justice and procedure class, and a six-unit clinic.  Students must enroll in all three components of the class.  The students represent children charged with criminal acts in the Los Angeles County Superior Court Juvenile Division in Inglewood. 

Students are responsible for all aspects of representation, including: interviewing, negotiations, investigations, discovery, motions, oral advocacy, trial advocacy, sentencing, and post disposition.  Case theory, legal research, and writing are also core components of the substantive class as well as the clinical experience.  While the focus of the course is on the juvenile delinquency system, the litigation skills developed in the class are applicable in any legal environment.

In the Fall, students will focus on juvenile delinquency and developing their litigation skills.  In the Spring, the emphasis will be on applying the skills learned in the Fall to the clients’ cases. The substantive component of the course explores issues raised by the students’ cases and also examines the systemic and policy issues specific to the juvenile justice system.  Course materials include conventional case books and texts but also incorporate materials drawn from policy research and the behavioral sciences.

Pre-requisites for the class are: Criminal Law, Civil Procedure and Evidence.  Criminal Procedure is strongly recommended, but not required.  Students must be certified by the State Bar before the first day of class, and in good academic standing.  Prior academic performance will be considered; however, preference will be given to those students who can demonstrate an interest in the issues presented as well as those who have prior experience in a related field. 

Space is limited and all applicants must interview with Professors Liu, Shultz, and/or Yamashiro in order to be considered for the class.