I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. - Confucius

Founded in 1969, in response to the desire of students to develop their legal skills in concert with their wish to serve the legal needs of the surrounding community, Columbus Community Legal Services provides free, high-quality legal services to needy individuals and families who live in the District of Columbia Metropolitan Area. In addition to assisting persons who would otherwise go unrepresented, Columbus Community Legal Services provides a challenging learning environment for approximately 90 upper division law students each year.

In each of the Columbus Community Legal Services clinics, students have primary responsibility for their clients' cases. While supervising attorneys provide guidance and closely monitor case strategy, Columbus Community Legal Services emphasizes experiential learning and self-reflection with the goal of producing alumni who will demonstrate a lifetime of professional improvement. In addition to learning practical trial techniques, students must also wrestle with the ethical issues that confront lawyers and examine such critical issues as racism, sexism, and class bias in the context of the legal system.

Columbus Community Legal Services currently offers two clinical courses: the Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Clinic; and the Families and the Law Clinic.