About the Clinic

The Children’s Rights Clinic is a semester-long course focused on children’s rights advocacy through direct representation and project-based work. Under faculty supervision, students take primary responsibility for client representation and participate in a weekly seminar and case rounds designed to build collaboration, self-reflection, and transferable lawyering skills.

The Children's Rights Clinic is a part of the Middleton Center for Children's Rights.

Types of Cases and Clients

Clinic matters may include child welfare (Child in Need of Assistance), juvenile delinquency, minor guardianship, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, special education/school discipline, and name and gender marker changes. Students may represent clients across age ranges (newborn to 17) and in different attorney-client roles depending on appointment type. 

Community Education and Advocacy Projects

In addition to representation, students may complete community education or advocacy projects—such as policy work impacting youth, Know Your Rights presentations, participation in a juvenile court watch program, or support for broader justice initiatives. 

Skills You’ll Build

Students develop practical skills in interviewing, counseling, negotiation, trial advocacy, legal drafting, and creative problem solving—while practicing time management and resilience in a real-client setting. 

Requirements

Evidence (Law 113) and Ethics and Professional Responsibility (Law 114) are required as pre- or co-requisites. Enrollment is limited to students eligible to receive a student practice license in Iowa.