ABA Rules

ABA 20-hour Work Week Rule

ABA Standards for law school accreditation prohibit students enrolled in more than 12 class hours in a given semester from working for more than 20 hours per week during that time (see ABA Standard 304(f) and Interpretation 304-7). As an ABA-accredited institution, the School of Law's policy is that no student shall work more than 20 hours per week in a semester where s/he is enrolled as a full-time student. If you have questions about this rule, please see Dean Kasprzak in the Office of Student Services.

Rules Governing Professional Training of Law Students

Law students may be able to engage in supervised representation of low income individuals in limited circumstances pursuant to the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct (Subchapter C, Section .0200 Rules Governing Practical Training of Law Students of the N.C. Rules of Professional Conduct).

To engage in activities permitted by these rules, a law student must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Be enrolled in a law school approved by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar.
2. Have completed at least three semesters of the requirements for a professional degree in law (J.D. or its equivalent).
3. Be certified in writing by a representative of his or her law school, authorized by the dean of the law school to provide such certification, as being of good character with requisite legal ability and training to perform as a legal intern.
4. Be introduced to the court in which he or she is appearing by an attorney admitted to practice in that court.
5. Neither ask for nor receive any compensation or remuneration of any kind from any client for whom he or she renders services, but this shall not prevent an attorney, legal services corporation, law school, public defender agency, or the state from paying compensation to the law student or charging or collecting a fee for legal services performed by such law student.
6. Certify in writing that he or she has read and is familiar with the North Carolina Revised Rules of Professional Conduct and the opinions interpretive thereof.

27 N.C. Admin. Code 1C.0200 (2007)

Certification forms can be found on the N.C. State Bar website.

In- and out-of-state certification forms should be submitted to Shelby Mann, Director of Facilities.

Clinic and externship program students: This process will be managed by law school personnel.

Student Complaints

The ABA Standards related to student complaints may be found at the ABA's website. Any student at the law school who wishes to bring a formal complaint to the administration of the law school regarding a significant problem that directly implicates the school's program of legal education and its compliance with the ABA Standards should do the following:

1. Submit the complaint in writing to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Associate Dean for Students Affairs, with a copy to Teresa Pittman, who serves as administrative assistant to the Associate Deans. The writing may consist of e-mail, U.S. mail, or fax. If it is submitted by e-mail, which is the preferred form, the subject line is to read "Formal Student Complaint" to ensure appropriate attention.
2. The complaint should describe in detail the behavior, program, process, or other matter that is the subject of the complaint and should explain how the matter implicates the law school's program of legal education and its compliance with a specific, identified ABA Standard(s).
3. The complaint must provide the name, official law school e-mail address, and a street address of the complaining student, for further communication about the complaint.
4. Within three weeks after a complaint is received by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Associate Dean for Students Affairs, the student will be advised of the resolution of the complaint, any further investigation into the matter, or action the law school is taking to address the matter.
5. The complaining student may appeal the decision or action of the law school to the Dean of the law school within ten days of being advised of the law school's response to the complaint. The decision of the Dean shall be final.
6. A copy of the complaint and a summary of the process and resolution of the complaint shall be kept in the office of the Dean for a period of eight years after the date of final resolution of the complaint.

Standard 512. Student Complaints Implicating Compliance with the Standards

1. A law school shall establish, publish, and comply with policies with respect to addressing student complaints.
2. A law school shall maintain a record of student complaints submitted during the most recent accreditation period. The record shall include the resolution of the complaints.
3. A "complaint" is a communication in writing that seeks to bring to the attention of the law school a significant problem that directly implicates the school's program of legal education and its compliance with the Standards.