This week, the Indigent Defense Clinic at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center succeeded in its campagin for 3Ls to be allowed to handle felony.  Students must be affiliated withwith a law school clinic or similar non-profit and experienced lawyers must be supervising the students.  The clinic argues that everyone wins – the students get experience and overburdened public defenders and prosecutors benefit from the help – especially now that budgets don’t always have room for new staff attorneys.

Now, only 8 states do not allow students to deal with felonies.  Opponents argue defendants need higher quality defense when they are looking at the serious consequences that come with a felony conviction. 

Source: Am Law Daily, cleveland.com