Clinics

JD Clinics

Legal Aid Clinic

In the Legal Aid Clinic at the Union Rescue Mission students represent clients who are homeless on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. Students provide pro bono legal services in a variety of civil matters, including family law, income tax, consumer law, benefit controversies and post-conviction reentry. Students perform live client interviewing and counseling, legal research, motion preparation, and client representation in court. In addition, the clinic presents legal education programs to various social service organizations and community groups. 

Community Justice Clinic

The Community Justice Clinic provides diverse legal services to non-profits, nongovernmental organizations, and other community organizations who are working to promote justice and to develop opportunities and resources for vulnerable, underserved people and communities. Under faculty supervision, students will provide corporate counsel and services, including formation, governance and compliance. Students analyze policy matters and advocate for clients, including research, writing, advice and direct representation related to the services or causes on which they work for their constituents. Community Justice Clinic clients are engaged in human rights, community economic development, sustainability, education, and justice causes around the world.

Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic

In the Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic students represent indigent clients as court-appointed counsel in briefing and arguing appeals before the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Students evaluate strategy and legal issues, research intensively, write and submit appellate briefs and present oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Restoration and Justice Clinic

The Restoration and Justice Clinic provides legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other gender-based crimes. In collaboration with multidisciplinary professionals in Southern California students provide comprehensive litigation services for clients emerging from abusive, violent, and coercive relationships.  Students gain intensive, client-centered experience in case development, hearing and trial practice. 

Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)

The Pepperdine Low Income Taxpayer Clinic provides direct legal representation to low income taxpayers at the Pepperdine Legal Aid Clinic in downtown Los Angeles. Under attorney supervision, LITC students represent taxpayers in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service, including audits, appeals, collection matters, and federal tax litigation. In addition, the clinic provides taxpayer education programs to various social service organizations and community groups. 

Faith and Family Mediation Clinic

The Faith and Family Mediation Clinic is open to students of all faiths or no faith. This clinic's practice is at the intersection of California family law, Jewish Religious law, mediation, and interfaith and intercultural work. Clinic faculty and students provide mediation services to families in civil and religious courts.

Disaster Relief Clinic

The Disaster Relief Clinic has established a strong framework since beginning disaster recovery work locally and nationwide in late 2017.  Its work has included legal assistance for survivors of Hurricane Harvey, Thomas fire, Woolsey fire and other disasters. The Clinic provides assistance with the transitioning legal needs of clients recovering from disasters in matters including navigating bureaucratic and administrative processes, insurance, government permits and benefits, rebuilding and more.  

Nootbaar Institute Clinics

Religious Liberty Clinic

The Religious Liberty Clinic at Pepperdine Caruso Law provides high-quality legal services to clients in religious liberty litigation. Students will work in pairs under close supervision by Caruso Law faculty and attorneys at Jones Day to gain practical experience with amicus briefs, appeals, and advocacy to advance religious liberty. The clinic will allow students to explore enduring questions relating to how civil governments treat the religious beliefs, expressions, and institutions of their citizens and residents.

Straus Institute Clinics

Mediation Clinic

In the Mediation Clinic students have the opportunity to mediate various types of cases including landlord/tenant, employment and merchant/consumer cases. This clinic offers students the opportunity to actually apply mediation theory in context and to enhance their mediation skills by serving as the mediator in numerous small claims court cases and other referred disputes. Students share the specifics of their mediation experiences in class and receive feedback on their strategic and tactical choices, as well as on their tone and demeanor. This critical review is designed to cultivate and refine advanced mediation skills. 

Palmer Center Clinic

Startup Law Clinic

The Startup Law Clinic at Pepperdine Caruso Law is an initiative designed to train law students to serve entrepreneurs of startups (primarily in the technology sector) with formation, capitalization, corporate governance, user agreements, angel investor financings and venture capital transactions. This initiative will provide Pepperdine law students with valuable and practical experience in the entrepreneurial and startup sector. The Clinic will provide guidance and expertise to entrepreneurs in preparation for a startup's formation and initial capital investment as well as in negotiating the legal and business terms of the investment.