Law school clinic supervision issues Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm in a clinic where we get paired up with clients and do work for them for a school year. The professor of the clinic, who is a local attorney, is supposed to supervise the work and approve everything that goes out.

Well, the professor assigned me to a client that needed some very, very technical regulatory compliance work done because their organization was expanding. I spent all semester essentially becoming an expert in this area of law and pumping out compliance policies and procedures for the organization to implement. Well, as it turned out when I went to get this stuff reviewed by the prof, she has no idea about anything to do with this stuff and essentially just rubber stamped what I showed her without really looking at it. I don't think she realized what the project would entail when she took them on as a client. So, while I'm reasonably confident in the work, I don't like that it wasn't actually reviewed. She also kept encouraging me to put my name on it instead of just having the clinic's name, which gave me bad vibes.

There's a low chance that the client could have administrative action taken against it, but it's VERY COSTLY if they were to. Is malpractice a thing in a law school clinic?

[favabeansoup]

I'm in a clinic where we get paired up with clients and do work for them for a school year. The professor of the clinic, who is a local attorney, is supposed to supervise the work and approve everything that goes out.

Well, the professor assigned me to a client that needed some very, very technical regulatory compliance work done because their organization was expanding. I spent all semester essentially becoming an expert in this area of law and pumping out compliance policies and procedures for the organization to implement. Well, as it turned out when I went to get this stuff reviewed by the prof, she has no idea about anything to do with this stuff and essentially just rubber stamped what I showed her without really looking at it. I don't think she realized what the project would entail when she took them on as a client. So, while I'm reasonably confident in the work, I don't like that it wasn't actually reviewed. She also kept encouraging me to put my name on it instead of just having the clinic's name, which gave me bad vibes.

There's a low chance that the client could have administrative action taken against it, but it's VERY COSTLY if they were to. What should I do here?

Given that this is a law school clinic, there is probably a 0% chance of you being held personally responsible for any deficiencies in the work that might cost the client money. If anything, the professor would be responsible, not you. So why are you so worried?

[unlicensedpotato]

Everything in my clinic was signed by the prof. I don't think you have anything to worry about - but the law school administration would probably want to know this.

[Anonymous User]

being held personally responsible for any deficiencies in the work that might cost the client money

^ this is pretty much what I'm worried about. And if it is on the prof, how could she possibly be so cavalier about it. That seems insane.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I mean, she shouldn't be cavalier and the school probably would like to know about it, but the client is getting free services from a student clinic. They've gotta be assuming some kind of risk, and you know the school/clinic has to have malpractice insurance up the wahoo and probably requires clients to sign away some kinds of claims. (Also it's possible it's not as bad as you think?)