Cannot recommend highly enough for 1Ls if you know that you want to go into any kind of direct service/public interest, even your area of interest has nothing to do with worker’s rights or unemployment insurance. It is so valuable to get to represent people and take on cases early in your law school career, and for me it really affirmed/reminded me why I was in law school in the first place.
I also did advanced clinic – I really enjoyed the opportunity to mentor 1Ls and it gave me a sense of what it might be like to be clinical faculty!
I second all of what was stated above and just want to emphasize that if you are looking to really grow and develop as an advocate, this clinic is an amazing opportunity for 1Ls and upper level students alike, especially if you are interested in any type of labor or employment law. Rachael Kohl is a fantastic director who takes student work seriously and provides thoughtful feedback no matter what specific thing you are working on. The clinic has been the highlight of my law school experience and reminds me of why I wanted to come to law school in the first place. The other thing I want to flag is that this clinic is truly a multi-dimensional and immersive experience. As an advanced student you get the opportunity to write appellate briefs, supervise 1Ls, do oral arguments, and can even expand into policy work because of the clinic’s strong relationship with state representatives and the current UIA director. Really cannot recommend highly enough! I don’t know of any other clinical experience at Michigan as multifaceted or immersive AND the WRC clinic community is also fantastic and warm!
I was one of the two people who left a review regarding WRC in 2020 below. Since then, the law school decided not to continue funding the grant that funded the previous WRC instructor, Rachael Kohl. Instead, the law school decided to have other clinic professors, Frank Vandervort and Joshua Kay (not funded by a grant), step in. I know at least Professor Kay continued working in his other clinic while simultaneously working with WRC (and Professor Vandervort often stepped in to help Kay with those unrelated duties). Having been in the clinic before and after the instructors changed, I felt a discernible shift. Perhaps inevitably, having to lead two clinics during the same time felt like a bit of a distraction. I don’t sense that this was at all Kay or Vandervort’s fault, but rather, a decision that came from administration.
The two new instructors also did not have a rich background on unemployment insurance law or how the UI system currently works (again, I sense this is an inevitable byproduct of admin asking them to step in after ousting Kohl). As a result, zealous representation suffered. At least while I was there, the professors were steadfast in not accepting any new clients. I received very little feedback on my work product under the leadership of Vandervort and Kay. The WRC I knew in 2020 was no more.
WRC is known for being the only clinic that accepts 1Ls during their second semester. Yet, the new class of 1Ls the professors accepted was dramatically smaller than in past years. That’s a shame, as I feel like working with WRC during my 1L spring was a much-needed counterweight to doctrinals. It cemented my desire to enter client-based work and work zealously for underserved communities. WRC was seminal in informing my post-grad plans.
In all, it seems likely admin is trying to pair this clinic down until it’s ultimately shut down. It’s unlikely anyone—especially 1Ls—has a particular passion for fighting for folks’ UI benefits. WRC’s worth could extend beyond its subject matter; it was an important training ground for interacting with frustrated clients, litigating at administrative law judge hearings, and even appellate work. With the direction it’s going now, I fear it won’t have the same impact on new classes.
MLaw Prof Reviews
Cannot recommend highly enough for 1Ls if you know that you want to go into any kind of direct service/public interest, even your area of interest has nothing to do with worker’s rights or unemployment insurance. It is so valuable to get to represent people and take on cases early in your law school career, and for me it really affirmed/reminded me why I was in law school in the first place.
I also did advanced clinic – I really enjoyed the opportunity to mentor 1Ls and it gave me a sense of what it might be like to be clinical faculty!
I second all of what was stated above and just want to emphasize that if you are looking to really grow and develop as an advocate, this clinic is an amazing opportunity for 1Ls and upper level students alike, especially if you are interested in any type of labor or employment law. Rachael Kohl is a fantastic director who takes student work seriously and provides thoughtful feedback no matter what specific thing you are working on. The clinic has been the highlight of my law school experience and reminds me of why I wanted to come to law school in the first place. The other thing I want to flag is that this clinic is truly a multi-dimensional and immersive experience. As an advanced student you get the opportunity to write appellate briefs, supervise 1Ls, do oral arguments, and can even expand into policy work because of the clinic’s strong relationship with state representatives and the current UIA director. Really cannot recommend highly enough! I don’t know of any other clinical experience at Michigan as multifaceted or immersive AND the WRC clinic community is also fantastic and warm!
I was one of the two people who left a review regarding WRC in 2020 below. Since then, the law school decided not to continue funding the grant that funded the previous WRC instructor, Rachael Kohl. Instead, the law school decided to have other clinic professors, Frank Vandervort and Joshua Kay (not funded by a grant), step in. I know at least Professor Kay continued working in his other clinic while simultaneously working with WRC (and Professor Vandervort often stepped in to help Kay with those unrelated duties). Having been in the clinic before and after the instructors changed, I felt a discernible shift. Perhaps inevitably, having to lead two clinics during the same time felt like a bit of a distraction. I don’t sense that this was at all Kay or Vandervort’s fault, but rather, a decision that came from administration.
The two new instructors also did not have a rich background on unemployment insurance law or how the UI system currently works (again, I sense this is an inevitable byproduct of admin asking them to step in after ousting Kohl). As a result, zealous representation suffered. At least while I was there, the professors were steadfast in not accepting any new clients. I received very little feedback on my work product under the leadership of Vandervort and Kay. The WRC I knew in 2020 was no more.
WRC is known for being the only clinic that accepts 1Ls during their second semester. Yet, the new class of 1Ls the professors accepted was dramatically smaller than in past years. That’s a shame, as I feel like working with WRC during my 1L spring was a much-needed counterweight to doctrinals. It cemented my desire to enter client-based work and work zealously for underserved communities. WRC was seminal in informing my post-grad plans.
In all, it seems likely admin is trying to pair this clinic down until it’s ultimately shut down. It’s unlikely anyone—especially 1Ls—has a particular passion for fighting for folks’ UI benefits. WRC’s worth could extend beyond its subject matter; it was an important training ground for interacting with frustrated clients, litigating at administrative law judge hearings, and even appellate work. With the direction it’s going now, I fear it won’t have the same impact on new classes.