Notre Dame Law Students advance economic opportunity through the Community Development Clinic

Every semester, second- and third-year students at Notre Dame Law School have the opportunity to work in the Community Development Clinic, one of the Law School’s seven clinics.

As part of the Law School’s emphasis on experiential learning, the Community Development Clinic provides students with hands-on experience in transactional law, which help clients with legal research, due diligence, business and legal advice, negotiation, and documentation. Students in the clinic are considered legal interns and directly represent their clients, meeting with them throughout the semester.

Jakim Aaron ’24 J.D. said, “You see the entire life cycle of a transaction. Having the experience to do that shaped my perspective on what transactional practice looks like, and I believe that with that experience, I can aggregate that in a larger sense once I graduate and begin my own practice.”

Student interns represent local entrepreneurs meeting real consumer needs, community land trusts promoting affordable housing in their neighborhoods, and nonprofit organizations seeking IRS recognition of 501(c)(3) status.

Order of St. Thomas More members contribute to the Notre Dame Law School mission by investing in the next generation of Notre Dame lawyers and their experiential learning opportunities.