Represent real clients in family law, small business, nonprofit, and other civil matters under the direct supervision of licensed attorneys.
Law Clinics and Externship Program
Put your legal education into action. At ONU Law, you’ll gain transformative, hands-on experience through our expanding law clinics and externship program—working with real clients, tackling real legal challenges and learning from experienced attorneys and mentors. It’s practical training that builds confidence, sharpens your skills and prepares you to practice law from day one.
Bringing free legal help and hands-on student experience to more of rural Northwest Ohio.
Real-world experience with judges, government offices, and public interest organizations across Northwest Ohio and beyond.
Need Legal Assistance? The ONU Legal Clinic may be able to help
The ONU Legal Clinic provides free legal help to eligible community members. ONU Law students provide the legal services under the supervision of licensed attorneys.Coming soon, our new Rural Practice Clinic will expand our services to more income-eligible residents in Allen, Auglaize, Hardin, Putnam and Van Wert counties.
If you would like to apply for legal help, please complete our online application below. If you have questions about the application process, call the Clinic at 419.227.0061 and select “1” for intake applications.
The Clinic is open by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Availability
Availability means every student has the opportunity to gain hands-on legal experience. This is a guarantee, not a competitive selection process.
Learn By Doing
Every year, our law students log hundreds of hours meeting with clients, making oral arguments in courtrooms, writing legal briefs, attending court hearings and trials, and more. On average, our clinic and externship students log:
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5,000 Hours providing pro bono legal services
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1,100 Hours in courtrooms, making oral arguments or conducting trials
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500 Hours with clients
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2,000 Hours working on client cases for the ONU Legal Clinic
“The Legal Clinic provided me with the opportunity to develop my counseling, writing and advocacy skills in a practical, real-world setting under the guidance of experienced faculty members who genuinely care about my success as a future attorney."Dalton Stewart, JD '24