By Joseph T. Gasper II*
Clinical legal education has become a fundamental component of law school curricula in the United States, shifting from a historically marginalized practice to an essential requirement under American Bar Association standards. Despite this evolution, no law school clinic has been dedicated to addressing the unique legal challenges of U.S. Territories, including Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These territories, often overlooked in legal discourse and policymaking, face complex constitutional, legislative, and socioeconomic issues that merit focused legal attention.
This Article explores the history of clinical legal education, its gradual acceptance within the legal academy, and the potential for clinics to bridge the legal gap for the Territories. By contextualizing the Territories’ historical struggles—ranging from governance and citizenship issues to systemic economic disadvantages—the Article examines how law school clinics could serve as powerful platforms for advocacy, research, and policy development. Rather than outlining a specific model, it considers the ways in which clinics might engage with territorial issues, offering law students meaningful opportunities for hands-on legal work while advancing social justice and addressing structural inequalities within the U.S. legal system.
*Abstract drafted with the help of ChatGPT4o.