Through innovative connections between law professors, law students, and community members, The Justice Center at Albany Law School promotes justice for marginalized communities, represents individuals who lack meaningful access to legal services, and professionally prepares law students for work that enriches their communities, the profession, and democracy. Since 1972, The Justice Center has provided free legal services to eligible clients in the Capital Region and beyond, and has facilitated public-private partnerships to improve justice systems. In a typical academic year, The Justice Center recruits more than 200 students, representing hundreds of clients and assisting many more individuals and organizations through technical assistance and community education activities. Our mission is to promote ethical and inclusive legal representation and justice lawyering while teaching students to practice with compassion and sensitivity to individual and community needs.
In-house and Hybrid Experiences
Students represent clients in various matters such as helping cancer patients receive life-saving health care, or persons with developmental disabilities to obtain the supports needed to live independently, or recently unemployed individuals obtain benefits while they look for a new job. Student interns have helped hundreds of domestic violence survivors find protection for themselves and their children. Other students have prosecuted the batterers. Students engage with community partners to educate local, state and federal officials on needed legal reforms. The Justice Center interns now provide guidance to not-for-profit organizations on transactional matters that are critical to their success, as well as to tax payers in matters before the IRS. All of the students' work is closely supervised by experienced licensed practicing attorneys.
Field Placement Experiences
The clinic provides ample opportunity for every student to participate. In addition to the award-winning hybrid and in-house clinics, the clinic also offers more than 200 opportunities for internships off-site in locations such as with federal, state and local judges; the U.S. Attorney; dozens of state and local agencies; district attorney and public defender offices; prominent legal services providers; intellectual property and technology offices; and private law firms doing real estate or patent work. Students gain experience, learn from practitioners in the field, and meet professional contacts.
Many students choose to participate in more than one clinical experience during the course of their legal education. Employers are consistently impressed with the professional preparation of Albany Law graduates who have participated in the various clinical offerings.
Support The Justice Center
The Justice Center at Albany Law School is funded, in part, through public grants and private donors. For more information please contact the clinic at 518-445-2328, or
give online.
