Podcast: Law clinics serve underrepresented communities

The MSU College of Law is home to eight law clinics, each specializing in a public service area of the law that provides professional legal counsel to the most vulnerable people in society.

Each clinic is directed by licensed attorneys who are members of the MSU Law faculty and staffed by law students who gain critical hands-on research and litigation experience. The clinics provide pro bono legal services and have won important cases for clients across the country.

MSU Law clinics cover the following areas of the law: immigration, family and juvenile law, housing, small business, public defense, Indian law, tax law, and first amendment.

In this law clinic podcast series, MSU Today explores how our law clinics have won life-changing cases for clients and have given students incredible starts to successful legal careers.

For today’s episode, we talk with Veronica Thronson, a professor of law and director of the Immigration Law Clinic, which just celebrated its 15th anniversary. Additionally, we are joined by David Thronson, a professor of law who works closely with the clinic.

Conversation Highlights:

(1:29) - Can you share your backgrounds and legal interests?

(3:11) - What is the story on how you came to MSU Law to establish the law clinic?

(3:54) - What types of services and cases do you deal with at the clinic?

(6:39) - Students are an integral part of the clinic, and you have had up to a dozen students before. What role do law students have at the clinic?

(9:35) - The clinic is celebrating its 15-year anniversary. Why is this significant?

(11:05) - How has the clinic’s work been affected by current immigration policy? How are you feeling about the future?

(14:43) - How is it being a husband-and-wife team?

(17:12) – Final thoughts

Full transcript