Details

Students in this clinic represent clients under the supervision of Professor John Elson in a wide variety of simple and complex civil cases. Depending on the stage of the litigation, students take depositions, draft written discovery, prepare and argue motions, and try cases. They regularly interview prospective clients at the Loop office of the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago and present the cases of the clients they interview at the case acceptance meetings which the LAF attorneys conduct twice a week at noon. Students are expected to interview clients at LAF on the average of two times per month. In his weekly class sessions, Professor Elson discusses pre-trial litigation skills, such as interviewing, counseling, case planning, negotiation, discovery, and motion practice, as well as alternative strategies for litigating clinic cases. Cases handled by students and faculty in the program encompass a wide variety of legal subjects, but in recent years have concentrated on the defense of public housing tenants from eviction, suits against landlords for unlawful evictions, and, most intensively in the last year, representation of victims of predatory lending and mortgage fraud. In the past, the program has focused on the areas of prisoner rights, public school student rights, the protection of clients from abusive divorce attorneys, and the representation of victims of domestic violence. Third year students who have not taken, or who are not in the process of taking, evidence and trial practice are discouraged from applying to this clinic since effective representation of clients in judicial proceedings presumes some familiarity with the subjects of these courses. Second year students earn 3.0 credits. Third year students earn 4.0 credits. Enrollment is limited to JD candidates