About Family Law
Family law covers a wide range of legal issues and often involves representing clients during emotional times in their lives. Most family lawyers specialize in divorce, which generally encompasses marital dissolution, spousal and child support, legal and physical custody, and sometimes paternity issues. Family lawyers may also represent clients in drafting co-habitation, pre-nuptial, and marital property agreements. As the definition of "family" continues to evolve in America, family lawyers will be on the cutting edge, facing increasingly complex new issues and challenges.
Family lawyers need a broad set of legal skills. They must be negotiators, client counselors, and litigators. They must have good people skills, and strong oral and written communication skills, including good listening skills. Family lawyers must have a grasp of the many issues involved in family law and must also have a working knowledge of tax, estate planning, business law, and real estate law.
Family law affects many people's lives and the role of the family lawyer is an important one in our society. It can be a stressful area of practice, but it can also be a very rewarding one.
Courses
Note: Whether a particular course is scheduled depends on faculty availability and student demand. View the Course Descriptions for more information about each course and when it's offered.
Students may earn the Family Law Concentration by completing the required coursework outlined on the curricular concentration page.
Core/Foundation Courses
These are the entry level courses that — at a minimum — employers expect a student interested in this specialty to have:
Recommended Courses
Students interested in this practice area should consider including one or more of the following courses as electives.
- Marital Property Law
- Adoption, Law & Policy
- Accounting for Lawyers
- Law Practice Technologies
- Trial Advocacy
Family lawyers must have a grasp of the many issues involved in family law and must also have a working knowledge of tax, estate planning and business law:
Enrichment Courses
These courses deepen or broaden the skills and substantive information that a lawyer in this field needs and also provide advanced courses for students interested in a specialty within this area of practice.
Clinics & Externships
Family Court Clinic (FCC)
FCC students:
- Represent clients in selected cases that are referred to the FCC from outside service providers;
- Assist self-represented family law litigants by providing the information and forms litigants need to complete their case, and by helping litigants to understand court rules and procedures;
- Observe and later participate in court hearings and mediations;
- Develop written materials for guiding litigants through the family court process;
- Work collaboratively with other FCC students and with students from other EJI clinics.
In addition to weekly hours spent assisting unrepresented litigants at during service appointments and on casework for their individual clients, FCC students participate in a weekly seminar. The seminar includes materials on:
- The substantive topics students will encounter in their work.
- Skills development, including interviewing, negotiating, counseling, litigating, and writing.
- Issues pertinent to substantive topics, such as ADR, use of interpreters in the courts, the role of a guardian ad litem, and abuse issues in family law disputes.
- Issues related to pro se representation and innovative methods for providing legal services.
The weekly seminars provide an opportunity for students to brief each other on their case work and to brainstorm new approaches to case related issues and projects. This is a two-term program with 6 credits for fall semester and variable credits for the spring semester. After completion of the first semester, students may complete the upper level writing requirement.
Family Legal Advocacy & Supports Clinic (FLASC)
The Family Legal Advocacy & Supports Clinic (FLASC) uses a multi-disciplinary approach to assist families who are at risk of becoming involved in the child welfare system. FLASC is a partnership between the Department of Children and Families, the law school, and the UW School of Social Work. County social workers refer individuals who would benefit from preventative legal advocacy. Law students then work collaboratively with social work students to provide assistance, including providing legal information, forms, and guidance to unrepresented litigants on family law issues, direct representation in family law cases, and referrals for non-family law issues. Students will focus their advocacy on family law issues, such as divorce, paternity, child support, maintenance, custody and placement, and juvenile guardianships.
Externships
Second and third year students can earn academic credit for externship work at nonprofit organizations and government agencies, such as End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, that handle domestic relations issues.
Learn more about family law externships available through the Law Externship Program and the Government and Legislative Clinic.
Student Organizations & Related Activities
Students involved in student activities and organizations are often strong job candidates. Employers look for students who show leadership, public service, and community involvement.
For a full list of student organizations at UW Law, view the Student Organizations, Journals, & Activities.
Faculty
In addition to our full-time faculty, the Law School's adjunct faculty members — prominent practicing lawyers and judges — bring their specialized knowledge and experience to the classroom. Filter by "Adjunct" in the Law School Directory for a full list.
