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Housing Clinic 

Students enrolled in this Clinic will be representing tenants with complaints against landlords in the Western Massachusetts Housing Court. The Housing Court Clinic is currently cooperating with the Massachusetts Justice Project (MJP). Through MJP, students will acquire clients who have cases pending in the summary process (eviction) session of the Hampden County session of the Western Massachusetts Housing Court. Under the supervision of the Clinic's Supervising Attorneys, students will litigate cases on behalf of tenants as well as provide limited assistance representation. Depending on the case, students may handle all phases of the case, including case evaluation, client interviewing and counseling, legal research and factual development of the claims, settlement negotiations, and representation of the litigants in court proceedings. If the case does not settle, trials are before a single justice of the Housing Court. Trials may include direct testimony of the witnesses, cross-examination, opening statements and closing arguments. Students are expected to commit a minimum of 12 hours per week to the fieldwork and other course commitments will require an additional four hours per week. Students must be available to attend court on Thursday mornings, when the Western Massachusetts Housing Court conducts its summary process session, and a limited assistance clinic held on Friday afternoons. In addition to the fieldwork, there will be regularly scheduled seminar meetings and training sessions in which students will engage in discussions and simulation exercises to develop the professional skills and perspectives which are essential to such a litigation practice. A student is required to be SJC Rule 3:03 eligible.

Students enrolling in this Clinic must be willing to return to school in advance of the official start of the semester to participate in training.  This course continues to be intensive during the first several weeks of the semester. Thereafter, the class will meet regularly for the balance of the semester.

The clinic is open to students who have successfully completed 32 hours of law studies and have successfully completed evidence. With permission of the instructor, a prerequisite course may be taken concurrently with the clinic.

Students Certified Under Rule 3:03: Housing Clinic students are required to be certified to practice under the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Student Practice Rule 3:03. Please note that an amendment is sent to the S.J.C. upon completion of the clinical program and 3:03 certification is withdrawn at that time.

Semesters Offered: Fall and Spring

Credits: 4-credits includes Seminar and Field Placement

Spots available each semester: 6

Grading: Pass/Fail

Application: Application is made in the Spring for the Fall and Spring semesters of the next Academic year. Applications are accepted from first-year and second-year full-time students and second-year and third-year part-time students. 

The application period for Academic Year 2013-2014 clinic spots has concluded.  The clinic application period for Academic Year 2014-2015 will reopen in March, 2014.

Application Requirements: Resume, unofficial transcript, and Housing Clinic application.

To learn more, contact Marie Fletcher, Clinical Programs Administrator, at Tel.: 413-782-1469 or email: marie.fletcher@law.wne.edu.