[blindlaw] I need your tricks and tips please!

[Dittman, Robert]

Hello all,

This summer I will begin practicing at our Center for Community and Civil Justice this summer, fall, and spring terms as a student attorney.

Some of the programs used at the clinic such as pro-docs are not compatible with Jaws for Windows, and so I wondered if I could get tricks, hints, and best practices from you as you are out there practicing.  It never hurts to ask those who have gone before.

So, what programs do you use, how do you manage your case folders, what do you use as your tickler, give me your ideas please.

I will have my student bar card at the start of this summer so can appear in court.
I currently have Microsoft office 2010 and use Outlook extensively.
We use an Exchange server and have my Windows Mobile Smartphone on the server so get updates to my calendar and emails when not in the office.


Here is some background on the clinic program to give you an idea on what I will be doing. Any ideas you can pass along would be very helpful.


The Civil Justice Clinic course (CJC) covers several civil litigation practice areas including Family Law, Consumer Law, Social Security Disability, and Community Lawyering for the Homeless. The CJC introduces second and third-year law students to the actual practice of law through the supervised representation of homeless and other low-income clients. The family and consumer law sections include: child custody, visitation, foster care, simple and complex divorces, protective orders, probate, wills, real property transfers, debt relief, fraud, and general consumer protection. The Student Attorneys handle cases at both trial and appellate stages. Students appearing in court on these matters will need to be eligible to obtain a student bar card. Student are able to obtain a bar card after completing 45 hours of study.

The Social Security Disability component, also offered to second and third-year law students, represents individuals in administrative hearings who have been denied disability benefits. Student Attorneys file appeals, track case developments, update records, prepare for trial, and represent clients at an administrative hearing.

The CJC also offers a Community Lawyering component to second and third-year students. Through Community Lawyering, CJC provides basic legal services to the homeless community living in shelters or on the streets of San Antonio. In addition to the local homeless population, CJC students make regular trips to the Texas Border to provide legal services in colonias and other underserved areas. Our legal services include legal advice, some brief representation, and often full-service legal assistance in benefits, consumer issues, housing, family, victims' rights, contract disputes, and wills preparation.

There are no prerequisites for the CJC other than a genuine interest in advocacy on behalf of low-income clients. Courses in administrative law, evidence, Texas Civil Procedure, trial advocacy, family law, and wills are encouraged. In the summer, CJC requires an in-office commitment of 15 hours per week during the 10-week period covering both summer sessions, plus an additional 2 hours per week of classroom instruction. Students will earn 3 credits. Preference will be given to students who graduate in December 2011. The summer course will be taught on a pass/fail basis. In fall/spring, CJC requires an in-office commitment of a minimum of 15 hours per week, plus an additional 4 hours of classroom instruction on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. - 5:10 p.m. CJC is 4 hours per semester; students will earn their 8 hours at the completion of the Spring Semester. Fall/spring and summer CJC are graded on a letter-scale.

Robert Dittman
Research Fellow, Center for Terrorism Law,
Jurist Doctor Candidate, St. Mary's University school of law
EMAIL: rdittman at mail.stmarytx.edu<mailto:rdittman at mail.stmarytx.edu>
PHONE: (210) 389 - 3388
"True Justice is blind."