From First-Years to Faculty: Alumni in the Student Law Office

As one of the Sturm College of Law’s flagship programs, many know that the Student Law Office (SLO) is home to seven primary experiential clinics serving pro bono clients throughout the nation. What people may not realize is that it’s also home to four alumni: Assistant Professor Nicole Godfrey, JD’09, MA’13, LLM’18; Visiting Assistant Professor Nick Lutz, JD’17; and Lasch Clinical Teaching Fellows Trent Cromartie, JD’18, and Miriam Kerler, JD’21.

With Godfrey, Lutz and Kerler teaching in the Civil Rights Clinic and Cromartie in the Civil Litigation Clinic, all four alumni devote their professional lives to providing innovative, hands-on legal education to second- and third-year students. Their favorite part of the job? Witnessing their students develop as practitioners.

Kerler is captivated by her students’ energy and intentionality, and Lutz says that “it’s wild to see where someone comes in and where they leave.” Cromartie echoes this: “Seeing the improvement from the beginning of the semester to the end—it’s a privilege.”

Ranked #5 by U.S. News & World Report, Denver Law’s Clinical Programs—which encompass the Student Law Office programs, the Low Income Tax Payer Clinic, and the Tribal Wills Project—provide legal assistance and representation to populations that don’t often have access to legal services, all while giving students specialized experience that will help them make an immediate, valuable impact in their chosen fields.

In Godfrey’s case, her students’ impact is now visible in the SLO itself: “Nick was in my first class, and I also supervised Miriam a few years later. It’s been really fun to teach alongside them.”

Starting as Students

What led these alumni to Denver Law in the first place?

For some, like Godfrey, it was the appeal of a dual degree. For others, it was the city of Denver itself—as well as law school faculty members like Professor Laura Rovner, founding director of the Civil Rights Clinic, now celebrating its 20th anniversary. 

In fact, Lutz first heard about the Rovner and the Civil Rights Clinic long before he started law school: “I was working for a law firm at the time and knew I wanted to practice civil rights. Laura Rovner and the Civil Rights Clinic came up a lot.”

Godfrey, Lutz, Cromartie and Kerler all participated in a clinic as law students. Unsurprisingly, their favorite law school memories come from their time in the SLO.

In Lutz’s case, he had the opportunity to do closing argument in a federal jury trial, what he describes as “an incredible experience.” As for Kerler, she got to work on a solitary confinement matter—a case that she continues to work on now as faculty.

Returning as Faculty

Godfrey, Lutz, Cromartie and Kerler have a lot in common, most notably their care for others. It’s evident not only in their work, but in the way they teach their students.

“It’s a privilege,” Cromartie says of working with Denver Law students. “They ask difficult questions, they don’t hesitate with their opinions.”

As Godfrey explains, “We are trying to make the students think through the strategic calls they need to make in their case.” 

It’s all part of the clinic pedagogy. 

“All of the clinic faculty,” Godfrey explains, “are so devoted to the methodology of teaching. We’re all on the same page about teaching students how to take the driver’s seat and embrace the lawyering role.”

 “I really enjoy supervising students right before their first big thing—their first deposition, first court appearance, first call with their client—and being their safety net,” says Lutz. And for Kerler: “Seeing the students interact with our clients and treat our clients with humanity and dignity is really impactful.” 

Full Circle Moments

Is it strange to teach where you attended law school? All four alumni give a resounding yes.

But it’s also gratifying, something on which they often reflect.

In the clinical experience, reflection is critical for both students and faculty, and it’s clear Godfrey, Lutz, Cromartie and Kerler have embraced this philosophy.

Much of their reflection comes in the form of advice for law students. 

Kerler encourages students to recognize the small wins, and Cromartie suggests they “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” He emphasizes: “You will encounter a lot of new things, a lot of setbacks. As long as you reflect and learn from experiences and keep growing as an attorney, you’ll be okay.”

Similarly, Lutz likes to stress that this is simply the beginning of a long road. “Either way,” he says, “it will be a learning experience, and you just have to stop, evaluate, set benchmarks, ask am I learning, am I getting value out of this.” 

For all four, coming back to teach at the Sturm College of Law has been full circle. From their time as students to their experience as faculty, they bring a wealth of knowledge to the Student Law Office. And—just as importantly—they bring an understanding of how impactful their work can be. 

Sturm College of Law students learn more about the Civil Rights Clinic at the Spring 2024 Clinical Programs Information Fair.