To learn more about the Clinical Curriculum and Registration, please visit our Clinical Registration Center. You can also find more information on How to Register for Clinics and How Clinical Credits Work.

For more information about this clinic, please visit the Clinic Website, Clinic Q&A and OCP Blog Highlights.

Enrollment in this clinic will fulfill the HLS JD pro bono requirement.

Required Class Component: Judicial Process in Trial Courts (2 spring classroom credits). This clinic and course are bundled; your enrollment in this clinic will automatically enroll you in the required course.

Additional Co-/Pre-Requisites: None.

By Permission: No.

Add/Drop Deadline: December 13, 2024.

LLM Students: International students on F-1 student visas are required to have Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization; LL.M. students are not eligible for CPT, but may enroll separately in the Class Component. 

Placement Site: Various internship placements with trial court judges.

Students undertake clinical fieldwork study of judicial performance through clerkship-like clinical placements with individual justices of the District Court, Boston Municipal Court, Juvenile Court, Housing Court, Land Court and Superior Court Departments of the Massachusetts Trial Court, as well as with federal judges in the U.S. District Court and Immigration Court. Clinical students are expected to be available to do research and writing projects for their assigned judge, and are expected to observe and assist their judge for at least 2 clinical credits, or eight hours per week. Three short reflection papers and one final paper required.

Students must have at least one full day available for their judicial placement. Students may earn up to five credits for additional fieldwork hours with their judge.

For more information, please contact Judge John C. Cratsley (Retired); jc.cratsley@gmail.com or jcratsley@law.harvard.edu. or Barbara Berenson, bberenson@law.harvard.edu 

Successful completion of appropriate written work in this offering satisfies the professional writing requirement for matriculants to the J.D. program from 2023 onward.