By Heather Looby, Staff Reporter
Since its construction in 1875, Heritage Hall has undergone numerous renovations, served as dormitory, barracks during World War I, a library, and was eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The oldest building on Valparaiso University’s campus was named after Richard Aaron Heritage, the head of Valparaiso University’s music department from 1878-1894. Heritage bought the building after it its top floor was destroyed in a fire, put a roof on the remaining two stories, and then named the renovation project after himself.
Today, Heritage Hall is best known as home to the Valparaiso University Law Clinic. It is arguably the oldest university law clinic in the State of Indiana, although there is still an ongoing debate with the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic, who also wishes to lay claim to that title. The Valpo Law Clinic was founded in 1968 by Valpo law professor, Sy Moskowitz, who was joined three years later by fellow law professor, Ivan Bodensteiner. In addition to the Clinic’s primary focus of education, the law clinic’s mission is to provide quality legal services to disadvantaged members of the community, who cannot afford to pay for other legal representation.
Law students are eligible for clinic after they have completed one half of their legal education and have taken Legal Profession (please visit the Clinic or check the website for more information on any other pre and co-requisite courses which may be necessary prior to enrollment in specific clinics.) Most clinics require an initial interview and a significant time commitment to the program. In order to take full advantage of the learning experience, students are encouraged to take the same clinic for two semesters. Every year, Valpo law students perform over 7,600 hours of clinic work and 3,000 hours of pro bono service.
On top of countless hours of free legal representation volunteered by students, the structure of Valpo’s clinical program is what makes it truly one of a kind among law schools. Professor Barbara Schmidt explains that while over half of American law schools have law clinics available to students, the meaning of the word “clinic” is not universal. Schmidt further illustrates that what really makes Valpo’s program stand out is that at many schools, the term “clinic” is used to describe what Valpo calls “externships.” An externship differs from Clinic because an externship is done off-site with a field supervisor, as opposed to being in-house and on campus under the supervision of a faculty member.
Through the Clinic, Valpo law students are given the opportunity to actually litigate and argue real cases in front of a courtroom, under the supervision of their clinic professor.
The Valpo Law Clinic is made up of 7 individual clinics: Civil Law, Juvenile, Civil Mediation, Criminal, Tax, Sports Law, and the most recent addition, Juvenile and Adult Justice.
-Civil Law Clinic (Professor Marcia Gienapp): Students serve Porter County residents through their work on general civil matters and represent clients in various areas of family law and education.
-Juvenile Clinic (Professor Elizabeth G. Tegarden): Gives students the opportunity to represent court-appointed abused and neglected children and juvenile delinquents of Lake County.
-Civil Mediation Clinic (Professor Barbara Schmidt): After undergoing six weeks of mediation training, students are given the opportunity to mediate small claims court cases and represent clients in domestic relations cases for the Circuit Court of Lake County.
-Criminal Clinic (Professor Dave Welter): Serving residents of Porter and its surrounding counties, students represent clients charged or convicted of misdemeanor and felonies in a variety of trial level cases, appeals, and post-conviction proceedings.
-Tax Clinic (Professor Paul Kohlhoff): Funded by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Tax Clinic represents low-income taxpayers involved in controversies with the IRS. Class time is spent discussing the substantive and procedural areas of tax law and reviewing the active cases which are being handled by students.
-Sports Law Clinic (Professor Mike Straubel): Students provide representation to athletes who are unable to afford legal assistance in cases involving eligibility to compete, doping, and other issues.
- Juvenile and Adult Justice Clinic (Professor Geneva Brown): Law students represent Porter and LaPorte County children involved in delinquency proceedings and adults in the criminal justice system.
*This course is only offered in the Spring Semester*
The Valpo Law Clinic encourages all students to come out on March (insert date ##), 2008 for their annual open house. Even if you are not eligible for clinic yet (attention1Ls), it is still a great opportunity to get to know the staff and learn what the Clinic is all about!
If you have any additional questions (or need legal assistance), please stop by the Law Clinic or contact them directly at 219-465-7903.
Law Clinic Website:
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