Legal Clinic Students Attend Court of Appeals Oral Argument, Meet Counsel

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Law students Caleb Lang, Nick Mote, Meghan Burns and Ecehan Bayrak at the 8th Circuit Court.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas School of Law students Ecehan Bayrak, Meghan Burns, Caleb Lang and Nick Mote traveled to St. Louis in August to observe oral arguments before the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. The students are part of the Civil Litigation and Advocacy Clinic, which is local counsel on one of the cases that was argued.

Students met with Ed Tuddenham and Greg Schell, who served as counsel on the case, after the arguments concluded. Tuddenham and Schell are longtime public interest attorneys, and their class action litigation has been featured by national media.

After discussing that morning's oral argument, Tuddenham shared stories about arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court. He and Schell offered advice about how to effectively prepare to argue a motion. Schell also consulted with the students about their clinic cases.

 "The heart of the clinic experience is student representation of real clients in legal matters with real world consequences," said Annie Smith, professor of law and director of the Clinic. "In that context, opportunities to consult with and observe skilled attorneys like Greg and Ed greatly contribute to clinic students' learning about how to be effective lawyers."

The Civil Litigation and Advocacy Clinic provides free legal representation to low-income clients seeking to enforce their rights in civil matters, including claims for unpaid wages and appeals from the denial of unemployment benefits. Individuals seeking representation may contact the clinic for assistance at 479-575-3056. 

Since 1975, the University of Arkansas Law School Legal Clinic has fulfilled the dual mission of providing experiential learning opportunities for students and much-needed free legal services to the Northwest Arkansas community. The Legal Clinic is an umbrella for the American Indian Law Clinic, Civil Litigation and Advocacy Clinic, Federal Practice Clinic, Human Trafficking Clinic, Immigration Clinic, Criminal Practice Clinic and Transactional Clinic. Each clinic offers law students the opportunity to practice law under the close supervision of a faculty member.

Students currently enrolled in the University of Arkansas School of Law who would like to apply for spring semester positions in any of the clinics may go here for more information. The application deadline is Friday, Oct. 30.

About University of Arkansas School of Law: The University of Arkansas School of Law prepares students for success through a challenging curriculum taught by nationally recognized faculty, unique service opportunities and a close-knit community that puts students first. It has been ranked among the top 10 "Values in Legal Education" by the National Jurist magazine for three consecutive years and is among the top 41 public law schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.