LAW 730: Housing & Eviction Defense - fall

Prerequisite: 30 credits. Corequisite: LAW 525 or having passed the MPRE with a minimum score of 85

Students will provide legal advocacy for tenants experiencing eviction or loss of a housing subsidy. Students work under the supervision of housing attorneys at South Coastal Counties Legal Services in their New Bedford or Fall River office. Clinic advocacy includes individual representation before the Southeast Housing Court or an administrative housing agency, and may also include systemic impact projects, limited advice to pro se tenants through the Lawyer for the Day program, and developing resources and materials for tenants. A weekly seminar provides instruction on substantive housing law, including an overview of state and federal housing programs, the policies that underpin these programs, and the statutory framework that governs the eviction process and provides for tenant protections. Students are encouraged to view these structures at the intersection of different identities related to race, gender, and disability. Students will also develop skills needed to represent tenants, including client interviewing and counseling, legal research, legal writing, oral advocacy, civil litigation, and negotiation/alternative dispute resolution. Importantly, students will develop their ability to represent tenants by centering their goals and practicing client-centered lawyering. They will learn to identify and resolve potential ethical issues that may arise during the course of representation. Students will engage in discussion about their cases and be encouraged to collaborate and support one another through their case work. Clinic students spend an average of 10 hours weekly on their clinical work. Of the 90 credits required for graduation, students are required to earn at least 65 in courses that meet in regularly scheduled class sessions. This course does not count toward the 65 credit requirement.