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Committee hears UNLV request to preserve $500,000 biennial funding for Thomas & Mack legal clinics
Summary
AB476 would appropriate $500,000 in each fiscal year to support the William S. Boyd School of Law’s clinical programs; students and university officials told the committee the funding sustains student training and free legal services to the public.
Assembly Bill 476 would appropriate $500,000 in each fiscal year of the 2025–27 biennium to support the legal clinics at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Sponsor Assemblymember Howard Watts said the appropriation would maintain state support at levels approved by the Legislature in the prior session and fund clinical staff, fellows and pro bono services.
Sponsor and university witnesses
Watts said the appropriation would support experiential legal education and community pro bono services. UNLV and Nevada System of Higher Education representatives told the committee the funding is a board‑approved priority and urged support.
Students and alumni testified in support. Multiple recent graduates described clinical work as foundational to their legal education, citing experiences that included courtroom appearances, federal appeals work, tenants’ rights and domestic‑violence representation. Speakers said the clinics both improve student readiness and provide essential legal services to community members who might otherwise have no counsel.
Amendment and flexibility
The sponsor noted a proposed amendment (requested by UNLV) that would allow the university limited flexibility to transfer unused funds from the first fiscal year of the biennium to the second, while keeping the funds earmarked for pro bono legal services, experiential education and student success. Sponsor and university witnesses said the change preserves the appropriation’s purpose while recognizing that some grants and programs are single‑year and timing matters.
Why it matters: Boyd is Nevada’s only law school; its clinics provide legal services to low‑income residents and supervised training for future lawyers. Committee members asked about the clinics’ role in preparing students for an updated bar exam that will include supervised practice beginning in 2027. Students and school officials said the clinics will be important for that transition.
What’s next: The committee closed the hearing after several speakers; no opposition testimony was recorded in the transcript.
