UDM Law honored with Advocacy Award

The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in Michigan honored the UDM Law Clinical Program with the Excellence in Legal Advocacy Award during its annual gala held recently in Dearborn. The award recognized the contributions of all eight of the law school's pro-bono legal aid clinics. The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Clinical Program has a long, rich history. Initiated in 1965, the "Urban Law Clinic" was one of the earliest law school clinics in the U.S. In 1968, students received the ACLU's Justice and Law Award for their work, and in 1971 the Detroit Free Press wrote that the students were: "making waves... and creating new legal precedent." This advocacy has continued through the years for vulnerable persons in Detroit. Since 2001, the UDM Clinical Program has grown from one clinic to eight clinics. In 2004, the School added a Mobile Law Office (MLO) component (an RV converted into a law office). UDM now has three MLO's out on the road assisting veterans, immigrants, and the elderly with legal issues at community, veteran, and senior centers as well as places of worship. Two of the MLO's travel throughout Michigan and the third is on a national tour. Because of the advocacy done by the UDM Clinical Program and the MLO, UDM received the 2006 American Bar Association Student Law Division award for service, in recognition of its outstanding community service projects, public interest programming, and strong commitment to helping others in need. Students working with the present-day Urban Law Clinic represent seniors in disability cases, consumer cases, and in the drafting of wills. Last year, the Urban Law Clinic students recovered more than $150,000 in benefits for clients and protected the elderly from financial exploitation. A new Consumer Defense Clinic, developed from the Urban Law Clinic, helps those who are facing high debt, especially credit card debt, during this difficult economic time. An Immigration Clinic began at UDM in 2002 and has represented people from around the globe on petitions to receive asylum. A second Immigration Clinic was established at UDM this fall to handle matters other than asylum. The success rate is very high for clients facing persecution or worse. In addition, the faculty and students of these clinics make numerous presentations to ensure that those coming to Detroit from another country know their rights. In 2007, UDM started a Veterans Clinic to represent veterans in benefits cases, concentrating on disability claims. Over the past two years, the Veterans Clinic has recovered over $530,000 in benefits for veterans in Michigan and other states (through our national Veterans Clinic tour, Project SALUTE). In addition, UDM has two clinics focusing on criminal matters. The first is a Trial Criminal Clinic to assist defendants with initial misdemeanor cases. Other students participate in an Appellate Criminal Clinic, achieving a high percentage of remands and reversals on appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. Recognizing that a large component of the practice of law centers on dispute resolution, UDM students also participate in a Mediation Clinic, where they work as mediators in various Michigan district courts with the Wayne County Mediation Center. Students working in this clinic resolve many contested matters that would have otherwise gone to trial. Published: Mon, Jan 4, 2010

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