MCL is proud to be developing a new interactive course that teaches best practices for effectively working with clients. Introduction to Community Legal Services offers a combination of instruction and skill-building, with a particular emphasis on simulation exercises for students to practice conducting client intakes and interviews, drafting client declarations and demand letters, and filling out legal forms. The course aims to prepare students for serving self-represented members of our community in MCL's and its branch campuses’ numerous workshops. More broadly, Introduction to Community Legal Services will set a foundation for consistency, professionalism, and empathy in serving clients, which students can rely upon throughout their legal careers. The development of this new course is spearheaded by Associate Dean for Clinical Programs Maren Christensen and Clinical Program Director Lety Perez.
MCL schools operate over a dozen workshops, through which members of the community can schedule appointments by telephone on issues ranging from small claims and collections to family law, evictions, restraining orders, and immigration. During a workshop, a faculty-supervised student conducts each appointment to provide information in response to legal questions and potentially assist in completing court forms. Except for the immigration workshop and SLO Law Line, the workshops do not provide legal advice. None of the workshops offer legal representation. To schedule an appointment at an MCL school workshop, please call (831) 582-3600 or schedule an appointment online.