No
The Appellate Clinic is not taking new cases at this time.
The USD Law Appellate Clinic handles cases referred from the pro bono panel at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The staff at the Clinics handles the entire appeal from start to finish — brief to oral argument.
What Does the Appellate Clinic Do?
- Cases referred to the USD Legal Clinics by the pro bono panel at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
2025 Appellate Clinic Award Winner
Working at the Appellate Clinic as a Student
The Appellate Clinic is open only to third- or fourth-year law students. The clinic provides students the opportunity to litigate an appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. This is a year-long clinic in which teams of students will handle appeals from start to finish. During the fall semester, students will write an opening brief. In the spring semester, students will write a reply brief and have the opportunity to participate in oral argument. The weekly required class is a one-hour seminar on the appellate process, including writing, oral advocacy, persuasion and relevant law. From time to time, the class sessions will feature guest speakers such as federal judges and experts in the substantive law of the cases.
Prerequisites
- Civil Procedure
- Evidence
- Professional Responsibility
- Criminal Procedure