TTU Law Clinic Newsletters
Eighteen years of Professor Patrick Metze’s alumni-newsletter columns as Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic and Capital Punishment Clinic at the Texas Tech University School of Law, Fall 2007 through Spring 2025.
Spring 2025
Year-end report on the 2024-2025 Criminal Defense Clinic, including caseload, the Clifford Brown Award to Sydney Allison, RGDS Champions Kalee Gore and Aiya Almzayen, and the traditional graduation farewell.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2025
The sixteenth Capital Punishment Clinic, featuring students Areesha Hemani and Andie Keefer's work at the RPDCC, with extended excerpts from their clinic application essays on the death penalty.
Read this column →Spring 2024
Year-end report on the 2023-2024 Criminal Defense Clinic with caseload statistics, the Clifford Brown Award to Victoria Gallegos, and the traditional graduation farewell.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2024
The fifteenth Capital Punishment Clinic, featuring student Abby Keese's integration into the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases trial teams and participation in capital voir dire.
Read this column →Spring 2022
Year-end report on the 2021-2022 Criminal Defense Clinic, including caseload statistics, classroom collaboration, and farewell wishes to graduating students.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2022
The fourteenth Capital Punishment Clinic's spring semester at the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases (RPDCC), with student integration into trial teams and capital defense methodology.
Read this column →Spring 2021
Closing report on the 2020-2021 Criminal Defense Clinic year, with 148 cases for 92 clients, the Clifford Brown Award to Patricia Cabrera-Sopo, and the usual farewell on practice and the bar exam.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2021
The thirteenth Capital Punishment Clinic, students Darris Hawks and Hunter Wallen, and pandemic disruptions to the usual program of speakers and in-person work.
Read this column →Spring 2020
Recap of the 2019-2020 Criminal Defense Clinic, including pandemic adjustments, the Clifford Brown Award going to Jeff Delman, and the recurring exhortation to students about the practice of law.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2020
The twelfth Capital Punishment Clinic semester, the three students chosen (Langford, Fox, Logsdon), the role of the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases, and a February 2020 visit from anti-death penalty advocate David Dow.
Read this column →Spring 2019
Year-end report on the 2018-2019 Criminal Defense Clinic, summarizing caseloads, student attorneys, awards, and the philosophy of teaching and practice.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2019
The eleventh Capital Punishment Clinic semester, focusing on student attorney Amanda Byrne's work with the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases and a visit from Sister Helen Prejean.
Read this column →Spring 2018
Year-end Spring 2018 Criminal Defense Clinic report with 137 cases for 94 clients and the standard closing advice to graduating students.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2018
Spring 2018 report on the tenth Capital Punishment Clinic cohort, including non-death and capital trials and a guest lecture by Allison Clayton.
Read this column →Spring 2017
Year-end Spring 2017 Criminal Defense Clinic report with case statistics, classroom culture, and the closing advice to graduating clinic students.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2017
Spring 2017 report on the eighth Capital Punishment Clinic cohort and guest speakers brought in through the Departmental Award funding.
Read this column →Spring 2016
Year-end report on the 2015-2016 Criminal Defense Clinic, with case statistics, classroom culture, awards, and advice to graduating students.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2016
Spring 2016 report on the seventh Capital Punishment Clinic cohort working with the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases.
Read this column →Spring 2015
Spring 2015 Criminal Defense Clinic recap. 136 cases for 80 clients, second-place chili cookoff finish, and the Clifford Brown Award to Sarah Broxson Ellis.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2015
Spring 2015 update on the fifth Capital Punishment Clinic. Students Sommer Greaves and John Schroeder embedded with the RPDCC, and a visit from Ken Murray of the Texas Defender Service.
Read this column →Spring 2014
Spring 2014 report on the Criminal Defense Clinic's year, recapping the 2013 Teaching Academy award, fall visitors, 2013 caseload statistics, the chili cookoff win, and the Clifford Brown Award presented to Deniz Kadirhan.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2014
Spring 2014 report on the Capital Punishment Clinic's fourth iteration, with Suraiya Syed and Deniz Pinkerton chosen as students embedded with the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases.
Read this column →Spring 2013
Report on the Criminal Defense Clinic's 2012–2013 year, including the Teaching Academy award, caseloads, types of cases handled, and outside speakers who visited the clinic.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2013
The third year of the Capital Punishment Clinic, including the four students selected, their integration with the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases office, and the classroom and field components.
Read this column →Spring 2012
Year-end report on the 2011-2012 Criminal Defense Clinic, with case statistics, an account of seminars and learning environments, and a sendoff to the graduating class.
Read this column → Capital Punishment ClinicSpring 2012
Report on the second semester of the Capital Punishment Clinic, describing the six student-attorneys' integration into the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases office and the classroom component's focus on the "why" of capital defense.
Read this column →