Appellate Advocacy Clinic
Overview
The Appellate Advocacy Clinic is a year-long course for 3L students who have taken Appellate Advocacy as a 2L. In the clinic, students work in teams of three and represent clients in various appellate courts, including five federal circuits (most often in the Fourth and Seventh), the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the United States Supreme Court. In addition to representing clients, students learn about appellate advocacy skills and various aspects of appellate practice.
Each year brings a new, unique mix of cases. The clinic has handled appeals involving a wide variety of clients, including criminal and habeas cases involving indigent criminal defendants; civil matters such as bankruptcy, civil rights violations, employment and contract discrimination, federal tort claims, and ERISA; and state civil cases, which have involved everything from torts such as common law negligence, wrongful acts by the State of North Carolina or municipalities, and medical malpractice, to property cases involving restrictive covenants. Many of the clinic’s amicus briefs have been for local government organizations.
In addition to representing their own clients, students brainstorm each other’s appeals, review each other’s drafts, and judge moot arguments of classmates and outside attorneys. Students also visit an appellate court to attend oral arguments and meet with court personnel.
Client Representation
Student teams often work on a single appeal from start to finish. They review the trial court record, identify issues, develop a theme, research, draft briefs, and make an oral argument (when allowed by the court—some are decided without oral argument). They meet regularly with the clinic’s director to discuss their work on the case. Students may also work on an ongoing appeal from the previous school year or work on parts of more than one appeal. Students may also write an “amicus curiae” (friend of the court) brief in the Supreme Court or another appellate court. In amicus briefs, students have the opportunity to make policy arguments consistent with an interest group’s perspective in the nation’s highest court.
Clinic Director
John Korzen
Throughout my time in the Appellate Advocacy Clinic, I worked with two other students to represent a criminal defendant on appeal. We drafted a brief and reply brief on behalf of our client to the NC Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals granted oral argument in our case, allowing me to represent our client before the court and make my first real argument. That opportunity was priceless, and overall, my time in the Clinic prepared me better for work after law school. I am truly grateful for Professor Korzen and the Appellate Advocacy Clinic at Wake!
Kaeli Czosek (JD ’23)