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Community Lawyering Clinic

Introduction

The Community Lawyering Clinic (CLC) is the closest thing to a general legal services office among FIU Law’s clinical offerings.  The CLC uses legal services to improve health and well-being at the individual, household, and population levels by addressing the social determinants of health – the social and economic factors that most affect where people live, learn, work, and play. In the CLC, you will be integrated into health care and other community settings; using legal advocacy to address common issues affecting low-income communities in the areas of family stability (child custody, divorce), immigration, and social security disability. Students will also be asked to attend periodic inter-professional meetings as well as develop and deliver at least one community presentation/workshop.

Lawyers and law students are uniquely positioned to be partners to health professionals and community groups, and through participation (in this clinic) directly experience how the legal profession can contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of our community.

Annually, the CLC may encompasses one or more collaborative projects in association with various community partners. Students will have the opportunity to work in the following projects:

  • Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP Project. Potential legal issues include health care, consumer debt, public benefits, family, housing, immigration.
  • FIU Embrace Law Project. Students will work with individuals and families affected by autism, intellectual disabilities, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities in guardianships, wills, powers of attorney, and other legal needs.
  • Disability Law Project. Students assist disabled individuals with the process of social security disability applications including administrative hearings.

Requirements

  • Director: Senior Associate Dean Michelle Mason
  • Certification: Not Required
  • Prerequisite: 45 Credits
  • Pre- or Co-requisite: Professional Responsibility and one (1) of the following courses: Administrative Law, Health Law, Disability Law or Immigration Law
  • Time Commitment:  14 hours a week (minimum 196 hours per semester) including case and policy work, supervision and seminar.

Clinic Faculty

Michelle D. Mason, Senior Associate Dean
11200 SW 8 Street RDB 1010
Miami, Florida 33199
305.348.4242

Zoraya Ledesma,Senior  Administrative Assistant
305.348.8095

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