Clinics
JD Clinics
Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic
The Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic empowers Pepperdine Caruso Law students to fight for justice by advocating on behalf of the wrongfully convicted. Working alongside leading attorneys, students draft amicus briefs, support post-conviction appeals, and advance strategic litigation that can change lives. The clinic also leads public education efforts, including an annual Wrongful Conviction Day conference featuring national experts and honoring extraordinary commitment to justice. Through this work, students gain unparalleled appellate experience while helping to secure freedom for the innocent and prevent future injustices.
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.
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
The Mediation Clinic is designed to enable students who have completed Mediation Theory and Practice, or an equivalent course or training program, to use and develop their skills as mediators through frequent and regular practice with real disputants. The Mediation Clinic requires students to serve as mediators on a weekly court calendar (typically 8:30-12:00) and to attend a two-hour class each week. There is no final exam or paper; however, students must complete specified documentation for each case they mediate, including 1) a self-evaluation and 2) necessary supporting court paperwork.
Students in the Mediation Clinic have the opportunity to mediate various types of cases, including landlord-tenant, employment, and merchant-consumer.
Professor Stephanie Blondell directs the Mediation Clinic and supervises students' work. For more information about the Clinic's course or practice, contact Professor Blondell at stephanie.blondell@pepperdine.edu or 310.506.6382.
Students receive a Pass/Fail grade at the end of the semester for completing shifts. Students are expected to mediate cases throughout the semester to contribute to class discussions.
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.