Clinics—External Clinics

Supervising Attorneys: Mark Lodine, Alan Campbell, and
Jody Miller

Faculty Supervisor:
Margaret A. (Peggy) Tonon
406.243.5597
peggy.tonon@umontana.edu

(Maximum of 3 students)

Clinical students assigned to the U.S.D.A. perform in a variety of civil and in a limited number of criminal matters. The Office of General Counsel represents Region 1 of the U. S. Forest Service encompassing Northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and parts of South Dakota, with responsibilities encompassing federal contract appeals, forest planning, mining claim review and contests, claims and objections under Montana and Idaho water law, Federal tort claims, land acquisition and special uses, and law enforcement. This office also represents the Montana Offices of Rural Development, Farm Service Agency, Commodity Credit Corp., Natural Resource Conservation Service, Agricultural Research Service, Food & Nutrition Service (Food Stamps), and other U.S.D.A. agencies with responsibilities including loan servicing, foreclosure actions, bankruptcy proceedings, tort claims, water right claims and objections, criminal prosecutions of food stamp violations, and general advisory opinions.

What Students Have Said About Their Clinic Experience:

"I thoroughly enjoyed my clinical time with the USDA. It was a great atmosphere to practice the skills I learned in school and a nice stepping-stone into the legal world. I could not have asked for a better experience." - Scott Linger, Class of 2005

"The clinic was an excellent real world experience. I had the pportunity to work with a seasoned attorney on real world legal problems from the beginning of the project to the end."
- Brian Lee, Class of 2005

"Government attorneys wear many hats. Involvement in the USDA clinic has allowed me to experience the unique challenges government attorneys face in advising large federal departments, while practicing in a niche area of particular interest to me: water law. Supervising attorneys at the USDA are entirely committed to engaging students in areas of academic and practical interest. As a result, my third year of law school, traditionally a time associated with student "burn-out", has been the most interesting of all."
- Gavin Ricklefs, Class of 2005