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Juvenile Justice Legal Clinic

Gain meaningful hands-on legal experience while helping children in need.

The Juvenile Justice Legal Clinic (JJLC) is a four-credit course that provides an opportunity for both classroom learning and real-world experience for senior-certified law students. Student-attorneys are exposed to cutting-edge issues in the field of juvenile justice, while also serving children in need. Additionally, students benefit from attorney mentorship, and bolster their confidence in the next steps of their career beyond law school.

How it works

The JJLC operates like a small law firm staffed by law students. Students have their own caseloads and take primary responsibility for all aspects of a case, while under the close supervision of a supervising attorney. Creighton School of Law students gain experience in:

  • Client interviewing and counseling
  • Effective problem-solving practices through interaction with clients and third parties (supervisors, judges, opposing counsel)
  • Researching fact and law
  • Draft pleadings
  • Appearing on court 

Clinic students also participate in ongoing reflections of their individual performance and goals and reflect on the overall legal system and the context of their clients’ legal and non-legal problems. To accomplish these goals, supervising attorneys observe or review all student work and provide detailed feedback throughout the semester.

The student-attorneys provide free legal services for youth with open cases in the Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County. They also accept court appointments to serve as education counsel on behalf of a child whose education needs are not being met. 

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Creighton meeting regarding law clinics.

Community Connections: Providing Equitable Access to Resources

Community Connections is a grant-funded initiative working alongside the Juvenile Justice Legal Clinic, that provides equitable access to resources such as educational supports, mental health resources, food and housing stability, parenting supports, activities/sports, etc. Community Connections creates community-based partnerships that are family focused, culturally sensitive and empower individuals and families to improve their quality of life and promote a strong sense of community.

Juvenile Justice Legal Clinic students work closely with Community Connections to help connect youth and families to services within the community.

Learn more or contact Director Karla Dush at 402.616.6517 or karladush@creighton.edu

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