[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2888 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2888

    To amend section 205 of title 18, United States Code, to exempt 
qualifying law school students participating in legal clinics from the 
   application of the general conflict of interest rules under such 
                                section.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 16, 2009

  Mr. Cardin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend section 205 of title 18, United States Code, to exempt 
qualifying law school students participating in legal clinics from the 
   application of the general conflict of interest rules under such 
                                section.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Law Student Clinic Participation Act 
of 2009''.

SEC. 2. LAW STUDENT AND LEGAL CLINIC STAFF CONFLICT OF INTEREST 
              EXEMPTION.

    Section 205 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting at the end the following:
    ``(j) Federal Legal Clinic Staff Conflict of Interest Exemption.--
Subsection (a) does not apply to a law student or legal clinic staff 
member participating in the legal clinic or externship of an accredited 
law school, for a covered matter within the scope of the clinic, 
unless--
            ``(1) the student or staff has participated personally and 
        substantially in the covered matter as a Government employee or 
        special Government employee through decision, approval, 
        disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, 
        investigation, or otherwise; or
            ``(2) the covered matter is pending in the department or 
        agency of the Government in which the student is serving.
    ``(k) District of Columbia Legal Clinic Staff Conflict of Interest 
Exemption.--Subsection (b) does not apply to a legal clinic staff 
member of an accredited law school who is an employee of the District 
of Columbia or considered an employee of the District of Columbia due 
to work with a legal clinic operated by an institution of higher 
education of the District of Columbia for a covered matter within the 
scope of the clinic, unless--
            ``(1) the staff has participated personally and 
        substantially in the covered matter as a Government employee or 
        special Government employee through decision, approval, 
        disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, 
        investigation, or otherwise; or
            ``(2) the covered matter is pending in the department or 
        agency of the Government in which the staff member is 
        serving.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 60 
days after the date of enactment.
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