Updated & Brand-New Summer Courses!

[Clinics]

Check out these updated and brand-new course offerings for Summer 2020! Questions? Email law-clinic@buffalo.edu.

Available Law Summer Session I – May18 – June 29, 2020
Restorative Justice Practices - Law 761LEC – Class #12902
3 Credits
Co-Instructors: Professor Kim Diana Connolly and Christen E. Civiletto, Esq.

UB’s Restorative Justice Practices fully online course is a highly participatory course offered by the School of Law. It will explore restorative justice, restorative and related ADR practices, and dive into its history, ideas and scholarly approaches that form its foundation, probe its strengths and shortcomings, and offer opportunities to put theory into practice. One unit will focus on an overview of legal and other ethical codes of conduct applicable in various professional disciplines, and analyze the possible tension between professional codes of conduct and more traditional restorative approaches to harm and conflict. One unit will compare and contrast restorative justice practices with other forms of ADR. The final unit will teach students how to design, prepare for, and facilitate a variety of restorative practices. Students will learn from restorative justice and ADR experts and then design and lead simulated restorative practices in an online setting. Students will work fully online, with weekly units involving assigned readings, short videos, quizzes, and multiple peer interactions through Professional Learning Groups. Students will have numerous opportunities to work collectively online with the professor and other experts, as well as classmates. The course is designed to be completed entirely online at times convenient to students, but will require students to connect on their own time in small groups at mutually convenient times twice. Also, the professors will be available for at least two synchronous meetings online at student request. The course is open to law and graduate students, and with instructor permission, may include upper-level undergraduates and students from other schools.
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Available Law Summer Session II – June 29 – August 7, 2020
ADR in the Community - Law 563LEC – Class #13069
2 or 3 Credits
Co-Instructors: Professor Kim Diana Connolly and Christen E. Civiletto, Esq.

Online: Classes will meet asynchronously and require regular separate postings and interaction online each week, with required weekly on-line real-time collaborations with colleagues. For those who qualify, there will be the possibility of assisting with real-time mediation sessions for the community

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is an essential part of the justice system. In this innovative course, you will study the mechanics of community-based ADR, and have a chance to conduct supervised community civil dispute resolution sessions, including mediation and restorative circles, in a range of civil cases. You will learn conflict analysis and communication skills, understand positions and interests, party BATNAs or WATNAs (Best/Worst Alternatives to a Negotiated Agreement), and barriers to agreements. You will learn how to balance power among disputing parties, recognize poor communication patterns, conduct effective caucuses, and use a range of tools to work through a stalemate. You will also learn about restorative practices (RP), exploring how RP can strengthen relationships between individuals as well as build social connections within communities. You will directly implement portions of the restorative continuum, including learning to run restorative circles. You will address the limitations of ADR and RP, including whether a dispute is appropriate for ADR or RP, as well as the ethical issues that may arise. As you expand your skill set, you will be engaged in simulations, and may be offered the opportunity to conduct supervised online ADR for community residents involved in a dispute. This course is discussion and experience-oriented, and emphasizes practical application of the concepts learned. This course will satisfy your experiential requirements.

Clinical Advocacy - Law 878TUT – Class# 13070
2 or 3 Credits - By Permission – Email law-clinic@buffalo.edu for the application
Instructor: Professor Kim Diana Connolly

Online: This course will have an asynchronous classroom component and client work to be determined based on need and availability. Real-time collaborations will also be a component of this course, as you will be a member of the Clinical Legal Education firm, dealing with real clients.

The summer Clinical Advocacy course will offer students the opportunity to learn essential lawyering skills like client interviewing, counseling and negotiation, case management systems, trauma-informed lawyering, and culturally competent practice. Students who have sufficient credits will be eligible for a student practice order so that they can take an active role in client representation on multiple levels. Student will be working closely with skilled supervising attorneys on projects for existing and new clinics in the program, including the Environmental Advocacy Clinic, Criminal Justice Advocacy Clinic, Family Violence & Women’s Rights Clinic, and others!