This year marks the fifth year that the B.C. Franklin Legal Clinic has been in operation.
Named for Buck Colbert Franklin, the courageous attorney who represented landowners and families in the aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the B.C. Franklin Legal Clinic launched in fall 2021 with the generous support of the Sanford and Irene Burnstein Family Foundation and The University of Tulsa’s College of Law alumni. The clinic is unique as it does not focus on one kind of legal problem but rather focuses on the geography of north Tulsa – an area that has continued to struggle in the face of ongoing challenges following the attack more than a century ago.
Led by Director Alex Gavern, students who participate in the clinic delve into the history of the Greenwood neighborhood and the impact on today’s community. They study the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and the attempts to obtain justice for the survivors and descendants of the victims. These discussions allow students to gain an understanding of the role of the justice system in the lives of marginalized communities, the implicit bias and systemic racism inherent in the systems in which lawyers work, the challenges of public interest lawyering and the balance between community education and individual representation. As a sample of the ongoing work of the clinic, students this past fall:
- Screened more than 1,000 requests for legal assistance in 2025.
- Represented a client in the sixth-ever resentencing hearing under the new Oklahoma Survivor’s Act in partnership with Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
- Represented clients in municipal court, resentencing, probate and guardianship proceedings.
- Presented to over 50 community members on restoration of voting rights for justice involved individuals.
- Tabled at Tulsa Public Schools events, providing information to parents of students in need of adult guardianships.
- Presented to community members regarding probate and estate planning with Northside Neighbors Tulsa.
- Volunteered at a wills clinic with The Legacy Initiative.
- Helped screen possible expungement cases for community members in north Tulsa at the City of Tulsa Expungement Expo.
- Tabled at the Terence Crutcher Foundation’s community appreciation event to talk about restoration of voting rights.
As we enter the fifth year for this program, the B.C. Franklin Clinic continues to adapt and change and serves as a unique opportunity for a dynamic community.