Criminal Defense Clinic

Student attorneys in the Criminal Defense Clinic will represent indigent clients charged with criminal offenses in Baltimore courts pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-220. The Clinic will provide students with an opportunity to (1) directly represent individuals charged with criminal offenses, (2) examine and apply criminal law, criminal procedure, professional responsibility, trial advocacy, evidentiary, and other substantive law issues that arise in criminal defense work, and (3) interrogate the broader systemic issues permeating the criminal legal system. Student attorneys will practice holistic, client-centered defense and collaborate with the Law and Social Work Services Program to address clients’ broader social support needs as appropriate.

Student attorneys will handle all aspects of their clients’ cases including client interviewing and counseling, fact investigation, discovery, plea negotiations, motion practice, trials, and sentencing. Student attorneys may also engage in advocacy projects such as post-conviction litigation and policy initiatives.

The Clinic includes a seminar component that meets once weekly. The seminar will support student attorneys in their representation through simulations, skills training, comprehensive mooting, readings, and discussions that provide historical and contemporary context for the issues that arise in the criminal legal system.

Upon completion of the Clinic, student attorneys can expect to have achieved the following skillsets: · Client interviewing, relationship building, and counseling · Fact investigation · Discovery practice · Case theory development · Plea negotiations · Motion practice · Trial advocacy (e.g., opening statements, cross-examination, closing arguments) · Sentencing and disposition advocacy · Cross-disciplinary collaboration

As a six-credit clinic offering, student attorneys are required to average ~20-21 hours per week of clinic work in addition to time spent in the weekly seminar. If your schedule prohibits you from fulfilling this time commitment or otherwise prevents you from meeting your clients’ needs, please do not register for this clinic. If you have a job, an internship, or participate on a trial team or moot court team while enrolled in this clinic, you are required to meet with Professor Sidhu or Professor Hinds before enrolling. We need to ensure that you will be able to meet your clinic and ethical obligations. If you have any questions in this regard, please meet with Professor Sidhu or Professor Hinds before enrolling.

Students who enroll in the Clinic are required to have taken criminal procedure, evidence, and legal profession as pre-requisites. Evidence and legal profession, but not criminal procedure, can be taken as a co-requisite. Students enrolled in the Clinic will be required to attend an in-person clinic orientation on Friday, January 8, 2027, in addition to any clinic-specific orientation that the professor may schedule.

Pre-requisite: Criminal Procedure

Pre-requisite or co-requisite: Evidence; Legal Profession