Government Relations

UW System Position on Bills Introduced in the Legislature During the 2005-2006 Session

Pending Legislation

AB 819

Clinical Practicum for Law School Students

Full Description

(Schneider) This bill directs the University of Wisconsin Law School to require students to successfully complete a six to eight credit clinical practicum in order to receive a degree. The requirement first applies to students receiving a degree in 2009.

Referred to Colleges & Universities Committee

UW System Position

OPPOSE: The initial impact of the additional clinical practicum mandate would significantly increase costs and require the addition of 20 FTEs to serve as supervising attorneys. Space concerns are also an issue as the practicum instruction already in existence takes up all of its allotted space and to add more required credits would require at least a doubling of the current space. Other long-term impacts include a reduction of the available electives for students and an increase in the time to degree with an increase of required courses.