What is the Criminal Prosecution Clinic?
Clinical placements are in local District Attorneys’ offices, where students represent the Commonwealth, prosecuting non-jury criminal cases in district court. Students are likely to handle:
- arraignments;
- bail hearings;
- pre-trial conferences;
- motion hearings; and
- trials
Students are directly responsible for assisting with prosecuting a docket of cases (under the supervision of an assistant district attorney), and will need two full days free (9 am to 5 pm) in their schedules for this clinical placement. Placements are coordinated through the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs during the summer months. Reasonable travel expenses are paid by OCP.
How do I register?
The Criminal Prosecution Clinic is open to 3Ls only and is offered in the Fall-Winter semester. You can learn about the required clinical course component, clinical credits and the clinical registration process by reading the course catalog description and exploring the links in this section.
Past Placements
Work Schedule
During Fall and Winter terms students work 20 hours/week at their placement. Clinical work does not begin until after Fall TAW has ended.
Tasks may include and are not limited to:
- Arguing motions to revoke bail
- Arraigning criminal defendants
- Negotiating plea agreements
- Writing memos
- Investigating prior trial testimony
- Participating in pre-trial sessions
- Writing motions to dismiss/suppress
- Preparing for and arguing motions and jury trials
Meet the Instructor
Jack Corrigan
Director; Lecturer on Law
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts, United States
Education History
- A.B. Harvard University, 1981
- J.D. Harvard Law School, 1987
In the News
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‘It is our conscience that dictates the decisions we should make’
“Every day in our seminar and at work, I felt like I was back home again, interacting with people just like my family—public servants wanting to do the best for their community, each and every day,” writes Maggie Riley’25.
May 7, 2025
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David Paul wins the David A. Grossman Exemplary Clinical Student Award
Paul is honored for his exceptional achievements in the Veterans Law and Disability Benefits Clinic of the Legal Services Center (LSC) and the Criminal Prosecution Clinic, where he has “embodied the very best of clinical education.”
May 20, 2024