Domestic Violence Law and Practicum

The Domestic Violence Law and Practicum course is an offering wherein the initial portion of the course instructs the students on the basic legal, cultural and psychological issues of domestic violence, but the course also includes a clinical component conducted at an area legal clinic. While engaged in clinical work, the students also further explore, in classroom sessions, additional legal issues that may arise in domestic violence.

The students then, under the supervision of Professor Debra Stark, work on identifying problems with the legal and community response to domestic violence and generate ideas on how to reduce these problems. This work culminates in a student reform paper and outreach letter that the student sends to a person or entity who can help effectuate the changes that the student is recommending.

Students work under the direction of Mary Trew, the Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic in Chicago in the clinical portion of the course. If students wish to continue their work with the clinic when this course ends, the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution, in conjunction with, and with approval from Professor Stark and Ms. Trew, will oversee the student in an externship experience at the clinic for academic credit. The Domestic Violence Law and Practicum course serves as a prerequisite for approval to this externship placement.