State Legislators in Maryland and Louisiana are attempting to restrict the cases and clients academic law clinics at public universities can take on in response to a number of high-profile public interest cases.
In Maryland state legislators introduced language into the state budget that would deny funding to the University of Maryland System’s law clinic unless it disclosed to the state legislature information about their clients, finances, and cases. In Louisiana the state legislature is considering legislation to bar student law clinics from suing government agencies, companies or individuals unless exempted.
Clinics like the ones at the University of Maryland and Louisiana Law schools play an important role by giving students practical experience litigating a case under expert supervision. As in all of higher education the content of these classes should be controlled by faculty, not state politicians and their agendas.
In Maryland state lawmakers in the Assembly rejected this infringement on academic freedom this week. The Center will be working closely with our allies in Louisiana to ensure that they do the same.