To see a video of the event, click here.
All eyes were on the 26 law students Friday morning as they were sworn into the newly expanded Clinical Legal Education. Catherine “Kitty” Kimball, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice, administrated the oath in the David Robinson Courtroom at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center. “I am very proud to be representing the Supreme Court here today,” Kimball said. “I would be delighted to see my alma mater arguing a case before the Louisiana Supreme Court.” The CLE gives third-year law students the opportunity to work with lawyers, judges and clients in a courtroom setting. Students are excited they are going to have an opportunity to participate in this new program, according to Jack Weiss, Paul M. Hebert Law Center chancellor. “This is a student-oriented program,” Weiss said. “The    centerpiece of our program is going to be the swearing in of our students because … that’s why we do what we do.” Weiss made the Clinical program a priority to his administration, according to Lucy McGough, Vinson and Elkins professor of law. One of the CLE program’s supporter is Rick Richard, president of the LSU Law alumni Board of Trustees. Richard presented a $100,000 check to Weiss during the ceremony.Robert Lancaster, director of CLE, said the program is the time when law students can step up to the plate and become professionals. Lancaster said the Law Center has an incredible opportunity because the doors are now open. The Law Center hired Lancaster as a faculty member to head and direct CLE under Weiss’ chancellorship. The program is a major milestone for the Law Center, Weiss said. During the next five to 10 years, the Law Center hopes to build a model clinical program for other universities in the country to look to as a guide, Weiss said.Dominic Golemi, one of the law students sworn into the program, said eventually the clinical will be mandatory, but this semester, the first students in the program were selected from a first come first served basis. Golemi said he is excited about the program and thinks it will be fulfilling.”[The program] will actually give me a glimpse of what being an attorney is like, outside of the classroom,” Golemi said. Janell Weil, another CLE student, said it is exciting for the law students to now have the opportunity to help clients.—-Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]