Home > Current Students > Academic Environment > Clinical Program
Clinical Program
Beginning in 1947, the Clinical Program at the Dedman School of Law was among the country’s
first to sponsor a community legal clinic. Today, it remains a national model of excellence.
The Program has evolved over the years, reflecting changing perspectives in legal
education and innovation in legal practice. However, at its core, the Program
remains committed to the ideals that shaped it from its inception: public service,
professional responsibility, and outstanding skills training. The Program now
encompasses six specialized clinics and three projects:
Civil Clinic -- Represents low-income clients in matters ranging
from housing disputes to elder advocacy to civil rights litigation.
The Consumer Law Project, made possible by a grant through the Texas
Office of the Attorney General, reaches out to the local bilingual
Hispanic community and helps resolve consumer complaints with recourse
to formal litigation and focuses on informal advocacy, negotiation and
mediation strategies, as well as community education.
Criminal Prosecution Clinic -- Works in partnership with the Dallas County
District Attorney’s Office in the prosecution of misdemeanor offenses.
Criminal Defense Clinic – Represents Dallas county citizens charged with
offenses and face the possibility of imprisonment. It works with the
Dallas Public Defender’s Office and provides students with felony trial experience.
The Death Penalty Project exposes students to actual death
penalty cases and combines classroom teaching with practical experience.
Federal Taxpayers Clinic
-- Was the first tax clinic in the country with
the authority to represent clients before the Internal Revenue Service and
the U.S. Tax Court. The clinic represents low-income taxpayers needing
to resolve tax problems with the Audit, Appeals and Collection divisions
of the I.R.S. and the U.S. Tax Court. The Small Business Project,
which comes under the purview of the tax clinic, introduces student
attorneys to practical applications of business
formation and provides needed representation for small start-up companies and
individuals developing private nonprofit entities.
W. W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic
-- Represents children who have been abused and neglected in
Dallas County. The Clinic is appointed by juvenile district court judges to
serve as guardian/attorney ad litem. Interdisciplinary lectures
given by psychologists, forensic detectives, child development specialists
and social workers are a significant component of this clinic.
Clinic Faculty:
Roark Reed
Director of Clinical Education; Co-Director of
Criminal Defense Clinic;
and Professor of Law
Maureen Armour
Co-Director of the Civil Clinic and Associate Professor of Law
Mary Spector
Director, Consumer Law Clinic
Co-Director of Civil Clinic and Associate Professor of Law
Jessica Dixon
Director, W. W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic and
Lecturer
Larry Jones
Director, Federal Tax Clinic and
Small Business Project
Michael McCollum
Co-Director, Criminal Justice Clinic
Eliot Shavin
Supervising Attorney, Civil Clinic
Eric Cedillo
Coordinator, Consumer Law Project
Clinic Administrative Assistants:
Silvia Bustos, Consumer Law Project
Email: sbustos@smu.edu
Kathy Lowe, W.W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic and Tax Clinic
Email: kathyl@smu.edu
Linda Herrera, Criminal Justice Clinic
Email: llherrer@smu.edu
Lisa Montes, Administrative Assistant for the Civil and Prosecution Clinics
Email:lmontes@smu.edu
Mailing Address:
SMU Dedman School of Law
P.O. Box 750116
Dallas, TX 75275-0116
Physical Address:
SMU Dedman School of Law
3315 Daniel Avenue
Dallas, TX 75205