Civil Elder Law Clinic
3-5 Credit Hours
(variable credit enrollment available. Each credit requires 42.5 hours)
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Overseeing Professor: Christine Cerniglia, |
Adjunct Professor: Noelle Polk Clark, Esq. Jena Blair |
Program Description:
This clinic is based at Gulf Coast Legal Services and Bay Area Legal in St. Petersburg. This program is to represent persons over sixty years of age with family law, housing, caregiver services, public benefits, guardianship, and elder abuse prevention. This clinic allows Stetson Certified Legal Interns (“CLI”) to appear in front of judges to try cases, and also to advocate for elders in other fora.
Students are required to apply for and receive CLI in order to participate in this clinic. The student will be responsible for all phases of client representation, including intake interviewing, factual investigation, drafting pleadings and other relevant legal documents, participate in negotiations, conduct administrative hearings, and participate in trials. This clinic allows for students to understand the special dynamic of the attorney-client relationship where the client is an elder and provide them with a holistic understanding of the justice system as experienced by elders. This clinic satisfies the Skills and Experiential Education requirements.
Placement Locations (vary by semester)
• Gulfcoast Legal Services
• Bay Area Legal Services
Program Requirements:
• 42.5 hours per credit;
• 25 pages of work product;
• Weekly timesheets and detailed report
Eligibility Requirements:
• Successful completion of all first-year required courses;
• Be in good academic standing;
• Successful completion of Professional Responsibility and Evidence;
• Successful completion of Introduction to Aging and the Law (recommended)
• Must have received a Notice of Registrant Clearance from The Florida Board of Bar Examiners or expect to receive one at least eight weeks before participating in a clinic program.
Application Requirements:
• Submit a completed application by the appropriate deadline (for more information, visit our Clinics and Externships page); and
• Timely submit additional documentation as required for this program. (Students are notified by the overseeing professor of additional requirements after applying and being provisionally placed in the program.)