The Community Development Clinic is a one-semester clinic for 5 credits offered in the fall and spring. Students provide legal counsel and transactional legal services, under the supervision of faculty who are experienced legal practitioners, to selected small businesses and non-profit organizations. The clinic is designed to meet two needs: to provide law students with a high quality clinical experience teaching legal skills, ethics and knowledge in the context of representing small businesses and nonprofit organizations and to offer much needed legal advice and representation to segments of the small business community and non-profit groups in Miami-Dade County who are often unrepresented because of the high cost of legal services.
The students represent clients on such matters as business entity formation, employment issues, non-profit corporations, tax advice, copyright and trademark issues, leases and contracts,
and community development projects. Students have the opportunity to work
with business and accounting students in an interdisciplinary seminar.
- Credits: 5 graded credits
- Time Commitment: The time commitment averages 17 hours a week, including case work, supervision, and the seminar. Part-time students have priority for registration and work can be completed during evenings and/or weekends.
- Recommended: Business Organizations and Professional Responsibility
- Selection Criteria:
1. Fourth and third-year part-time students.
2. Third-year full-time students.
3. Second-year full-time students.
- Certified Legal Intern Certification Required: No
John Little, Esq.
Director, Clinical Adjunct
305-348-7541
clinicalprogram@fiu.edu
Shahrzad Emami, Esq.
Supervisor, Clinical Adjunct
305-348-7541
clinicalprogram@fiu.edu