Student Employment
Working at FLAC is an excellent opportunity to acquire practical legal experience while in law school. Student attorneys, working under the guidance of licensed attorneys, gain hands-on experience managing all phases of real cases; initial client interviews, investigation of facts, drafting of court pleadings, court appearances, and entrance of final judgments. Unlike many other internships, students participating in FLAC have the opportunity to work on their own cases from start to finish with extensive, direct client contact.
The atmosphere at FLAC is relaxed and fun, allowing students to work with their classmates in a unique environment and gain confidence in their roles as client advocates. Students leave FLAC with a deeper and more realistic understanding of the practice of law. Participation in FLAC instills the importance of pro bono work and giving back to the community. FLAC proves to be an invaluable experience for students, regardless of the type of law they eventually practice.
Wayne State University Law School offers a dedicated classroom component to this experience. Through FLAC, students have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of their clients on the record in court. Students will also learn to draft pleading and manage their own case load. Interested students must have passed all required first-year law school courses, be in good academic standing (not on academic probation), have a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher, and either already taken and passed Professional Responsibility and the Legal Profession (LEX 6800) or enroll in the course concurrently. The FLAC course and work combined offer Wayne Law students a total of four (4) credits.
After completing one semester with the Free Legal Aid Clinic, students may have the opportunity to earn additional credits through an advanced clinic course. Some work study positions may also be available to returning students.
For more information, call the FLAC office at (313) 833-0058 and ask to speak to a board member about becoming a student attorney or send an email to FLAC@detroitflac.com.