March 20, 2025

Legal Clinic Leaders Series — Graham Outerbridge

Meet the students who work directly with and in the community to provide quality legal representation to underserved individuals through our Legal Clinic Leaders blog series. We're excited to spotlight these all-star advocates and showcase the many different fields of law you can explore through our legal clinics and the wide range of opportunities available at Southwestern to gain practical lawyering skills. We hope their experiences will inspire YOU to join a legal clinic.
 

Meet 4L Graham Outerbridge

• Appellate Litigation Clinic, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

Why did you decide to participate in a clinic? 

After working at a firm for the summer, my life with the law changed - it moved from the theoretical world of class and school to a world where my work would actually affect people. I had the opportunity to work on a pro bono immigration case while there, and I felt an unparalleled investment in the work. I wanted to continue to pursue those opportunities, and the added potential of having a chance to argue at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was too good to miss. Having worked with Professor Jansson in the Moot Court Program, the decision to register for the Appellate Litigation Clinic was simple.

What did you learn about yourself through your clinic experience?

I have learned that despite being in my last year of law school, I have so much more to learn. I have learned that having access to a legal education is a privilege and a gift. I have learned that I am an advocate at heart, and there is nothing that makes me more excited than working on behalf of people who need help.

What helped take you from student to advocate?

Meeting our client solidified in my head the reality and the gravity of the situation. This wasn't theoretical anymore. This was a real person experiencing extremely real problems. From that moment on, everything about my work for the Clinic changed. My research and writing became more intense and more focused. There was a person behind everything we were doing, and it changed my entire mindset.

What skills and knowledge did you learn from your clinic experience?

I have learned that immigration law is a complex and ever-changing area. Professors Knapp and Jansson have such a strong command of case law and procedure, and they have demonstrated how important it is to exhaust your research and look around every corner. I have also had the chance to work on my writing, focusing on being informative and persuasive.

What words of advice would you have for future clinic students?

First and foremost, I would advise any student to participate in a clinic. It moves the law from the theoretical to the practical and gives you opportunities you don't always get in doctrinal classes. I advise students to work hard, think creatively, and not be afraid to think outside the structural box of rules we have learned so far. I've seen my clinic colleagues do such good work in finding creative solutions to problems, and it always pushes me to work harder and find ways around roadblocks.

Please share an inspiring anecdote from your clinic.

When we first met our client, the Professors spoke to him about the status of the case and then encouraged us to ask him some questions. I asked him about his case and whether or not he remembered something from roughly 15 years prior. My clinic colleague asked him, "How are you doing?" Our client got emotional and told us that he had been having a really difficult time with everything, particularly with the potential ramifications should his case not succeed. It was such a simple question that got to the heart of the matter -- that this job is really about helping people. It was a stark reminder of the importance of Southwestern's clinics and how important doing legal work can be.

Interested in learning more about the legal clinics? Visit our Clinics page here.