Legal Assistance To Institutionalized Persons Project (LAIP)
In the Frank J. Remington Center's Legal Assistance to Institutionalized Persons Project (LAIP), students work under the supervision of clinical faculty to provide legal assistance to state and federal prison inmates throughout Wisconsin. Each student visits one or more prisons and interviews inmates about their concerns. These may include family law problems, postconviction criminal law, sentence credit questions and resolution of pending fines or charges. Students then research the facts and the law; talk to parties, prior attorneys or opposing counsel, draft legal correspondence and pleadings, and may even appear in court on behalf of clients.
Outcomes
LAIP allows students to develop lawyering skills which are not taught in traditional law school classes or gained by working as a law clerk in a private law firm. Each LAIP student handles cases for a variety of inmates, and the student's experience may involve interviewing, legal research and writing, negotiating, legal counseling and oral advocacy. Students receive ongoing, individualized feedback on their written work and oral presentations from clinical supervisors. Students also meet with their clinical supervisors for a final evaluation conference, which may include a detailed written evaluation of their overall performance.
Focus Areas
Project Leader
Meredith Ross
Director
- Department/Unit
- Frank J. Remington Center
- School or College
- Law