The Child and Family Litigation Clinic develops core legal skills through representing the child in context.

Broadly grouped as "child advocacy," clinic cases offer practice in "holistic" child representation, including:

• Child abuse and neglect
• Foster care
• Delinquency
• Child custody, paternity, and adoption
• Education or mental health
• Public benefits, such as TennCare
• Any legal forum necessary to meet each child's needs

Student attorneys also experience the variety of roles and responsibilities required: in one case representing a child's best interests; in another representing a child's legal interests or expressed wishes; or in another scenario, representing the child's parent to promote the child's welfare. In addition to developing core legal skills, student attorneys participate in problem-solving, co-counseling, collaboration, meeting facilitation, and multidisciplinary consultation and practice essential in today's global society.

Through giving a vulnerable population a "voice" in the legal system, the Child and Family Litigation Clinic awakens within students who will be tomorrow's litigators, advocates, lawmakers, and judges a spirit of compassion, sense of fairness, and understanding of equal justice.

Faculty:  Christina A. Zawisza, Professor of Clinical Law and Director, Child and Family Litigation Clinic