Re-Conceptualizing Poverty Law Clinical Curriculum and Legal Services Practice: The Need for Generalists

Abstract

This essay discusses how the legal profession - including legal services providers to the poor - became so specialized. The essay also discusses how the clinical legal education movement has tracked this increasing trend to specialization. The essay argues that specialization hurts impoverished clients, and argues for greater recognition of the value of poverty law generalists. The paper identifies several models for the provision of more general poverty law services and discusses the use of this model in a law school clinic.