Criminal and Youth Defense Clinic
Student-attorneys in the Criminal and Youth Defense Clinic will represent indigent youth clients who are charged with criminal offenses in Baltimore. Student-attorneys will practice holistic “client-centered” defense, tailoring their representation to the goals of each client and collaborating with the Law and Social Work Services Program to address the client’s broader social support needs as necessary. We assume a collaborative, community-focused role in this clinic. In addition to realizing the rights and meeting the needs of our individual clients, we aim to improve the youth legal system more broadly.
Student-attorneys will zealously represent their clients through every phase of a juvenile delinquency case, from the early stages of the case; through the discovery, investigation and motions phases; in negotiations with prosecutors; and at the adjudication and disposition stages. Through their representation, student-attorneys will explore the juvenile delinquency practice in depth.
The Clinic includes a seminar component that meets twice weekly. In the seminar, student-attorneys will be introduced to the juvenile legal system and juvenile delinquency practice. The seminar will have two major components: exposing student-attorneys to the historical and current influences on the modern criminal juvenile legal system, and practical preparation for the intensive work of trial-stage client representation. In the seminar, students-attorneys will advance the lawyering skills developed in fieldwork through a series of mock exercises and/or simulations covering client interviewing; investigation; defense theory development; negotiations; motions practice; and basic trial skills. Beyond the individual representation, student-attorneys may engage legislative and advocacy projects at the local and state levels that aim to reduce the criminalization of youth and increase support for youth across Maryland.
Upon completion of the clinic, student-attorneys can expect to have developed a comprehensive skillset in client-centered defense practice, including:
- Client interviewing and relationship building
- Fact investigation
- Discovery practice
- Defense theory development
- Plea negotiations
- Juvenile court motions practice
- Trial advocacy (e.g., opening statements, cross-examination, closing arguments)
- Disposition advocacy
As a five-credit clinic offering, student-attorneys in this clinic are required to average 13 hours per week of clinic work in addition to time spent in the twice-weekly seminar. If your schedule prohibits you from fulfilling this time commitment or otherwise prevents you from meeting your clients’ needs, please do not register for this clinic. If you plan to have a job, an internship, or participate on a trial team or moot court team while enrolled in this clinic, you are required to meet with Professor Sidhu before enrolling. We need to ensure that you will be able to meet your clinic obligations. If you have any questions in this regard, please meet with Professor Sidhu before enrolling.
Students who enroll in this clinic are required to have taken criminal procedure and evidence as pre-requisites. Evidence, but not criminal procedure, can be taken as a co-requisite. Students enrolled in this clinic will be required to attend the in-person clinic orientation in August 2025, in addition to any clinic-specific orientation that the professor may schedule.
All students enrolled in fall clinic will be required to attend in-person clinic orientation on Friday, August 22, 2025, and those enrolled in spring clinic will be required to attend in-person clinic orientation on Friday, January 9, 2026, in addition to any clinic-specific orientation that the professor may schedule.
P: Criminal Procedure
P/C: Evidence