CLINICAL PROGRAMS : HOUSING & CONSUMER PROTECTION CLINIC

Duration: Full-year clinic
Credits: 8 credits (4 credits/semester/letter grade)

The goal of the clinic is to immerse the student in the practice of law under close supervision in a manner that allows the student to develop the lawyering skills and professional values necessary to be a successful, ethical attorney. Student attorneys will primarily represent clients in housing cases, but the clinic offers an opportunity to develop consumer protection matters related to housing as well. Students will have significant live client contact, and will interview and counsel clients, prepare pleadings, discovery, and memoranda, prepare and argue motions, and conduct negotiations, administrative hearings and trials. Students handle administrative matters before various housing authorities, housing discrimination matters before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and housing cases in Boston Housing Court and Chelsea District Court. Students may also have the opportunity to participate in giving presentations regarding tenant's rights to local community groups. Preference may be given to students who have relevant foreign language skills or have taken or will enroll in trial advocacy as of the Fall 2008. This clinic will be graded.  Students must be available for Thursday morning court appearances on housing cases.

Questions: Contact Professor William Berman at wberman@suffolk.edu