Stanford Law School celebrated the opening of its new Clinical Center with an October 20 reception attended by faculty, students, staff, and alumni. The center, located in the basement of the Crown Quadrangle administration building, includes a reception area, interview rooms, conference rooms, glass-walled offices for faculty and fellows, and a large, open area filled with student workstations.

“Although it was controversial at first, having all that glass was about [developing] a sense of intense com-munity,” said Lawrence C. Marshall, Professor of Law, David and Stephanie Mills Director of Clinical Education, and Associate Dean for Public Interest and Clinical Education. “We’re not holing ourselves into our offices and closing the door; we’re wide open and inviting interaction.”

The remodeled space is larger than the clinic’s previous offices, allowing more students to pursue clinical work. “The commitment that this institution is demonstrating toward building its clinics is just enormous,” said Marshall. “It’s a dramatic difference from where clinics were a decade ago.”

The law school now operates nine clinics, in capital defense, community law, criminal prosecution, cyberlaw, environmental law, immigrants’ rights, international community law (in Ghana), Supreme Court litigation, and youth and education law.

Marshall realizes that few Stanford law graduates will pursue the kind of work experienced in much of clinical education. But he wants future lawyers to consider their options when they join firms. “What makes me proudest [is] the student who calls me five years later and says, ‘I’m working on this pro bono project that I took on because of my experience in clinics, and I’m really proud of it.’” Marshall said. “That’s good stuff.”