Criminal Appeals Clinic

In the Criminal Appeals Clinic, you represent clients convicted of felony or misdemeanor offenses in appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court. Working under the supervision of attorneys from the Office of the State Appellate Defender, students examine trial court records, identify appealable issues and develop the research, analysis and persuasive writing skills central to criminal appellate practice. 

The Clinic also gives students insight into how trial decisions shape an appeal. In the Clinic's classroom component, students study appellate procedure, participate in roundtable discussions and closely review the record to learn how legal issues are preserved, challenged and argued before a reviewing court. 

What You’ll Do

• Represent clients in criminal appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court
• Review trial court records to identify and analyze legal issues
• Confer with clients and develop case theories
• Research criminal law and appellate procedure
• Draft and file appellate briefs
• Build a writing sample based on an actual brief filed in a court of appeals
• Argue cases before the Court when eligible under a 711 license 

Clinic Sections 

• Criminal Appeals Clinic I: An introductory section in which students represent clients in criminal appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court, including reviewing the trial record, researching legal issues and drafting appellate briefs.
• Criminal Appeals Clinic II: An advanced section in which students continue representing appellate clients through the reply brief process, work on additional criminal appeals and satisfy the advanced writing requirement.

Instructors

Course Information

• Instruction: Combination of lecture, in-class discussion, skills instruction and client counseling
• Credit hours: Fall or Spring semester, 3 credits
• Number of students: Up to 8 per semester
• 711 License: Not required
• Prerequisites: None
• Eligibility: Only rising 2L and 3L students are eligible to apply

In the News

• Two Advanced Criminal Appeals Clinic Alumni Win Appellate Case
• Advanced Criminal Appeals Clinic Student Sydney Warda Presents Second Illinois Appellate Court Oral Argument
• Advanced Criminal Appeals Students Conduct Oral Arguments before Illinois Appellate Court​​
• Clinic Student Allison Foellger and Clinic Professor Gil Lenz Win Sentence Reduction for Client
• Criminal Appeals Clinic Student Abigail Horvat and Criminal Appeals Clinic Professor Aliza Kaliski Secure Conviction Reversal
• Criminal Appeals Clinic Alumni, Scout Distefano, arguing case she carried with her from the Clinic to her new job with the Office of the State Appellate Defender

Support the Clinic

Donor support helps the Clinic expand legal services for clients while strengthening the clinical learning experience for our students.