About the Elder Law Clinic
St. John's Elder Law Clinic is an on-campus public
interest law firm and a one-semester, in-house clinical program.
- Students receive four credits for participation.
- This is a graded course.
- Students are required to work in the Clinic 13 hours a week (20
hours a week during the summer program).
- There is a weekly two-hour seminar component (two weekly
seminars during the summer program).
The Elder Law Clinic addresses the legal needs of Queens' senior
citizens and affords students the opportunity to develop essential
legal skills and practical legal knowledge while serving the
community. Students develop not only an understanding of
substantive law, but also an appreciation for what it means to have
a real client and to advocate effectively for that client. The
Clinic enables students to take what they have learned in the
classroom and apply that knowledge in helping people with real
legal problems. "The overall goals of this clinical experience are
to provide quality legal representation to Clinic clients who would
otherwise go unrepresented, and to teach students how to become
effective advocates," says
Professor
Ann Goldweber, the Director of the Clinic.
History of the Clinic
Founded in 1993, The Elder Law Clinic was created to
address the legal needs of Queens' senior citizens and provide
Clinic students with the opportunity to develop essential legal
skills, practical legal knowledge and professional responsibility
while serving the community.
Professor
Ann Goldweber, the director of the Clinic, is an experienced
public interest litigator in both federal and state courts. Under
Professor Goldweber's leadership, the Clinic has continued to serve
the legal needs of Queens' senior citizens while expanding the
Clinic's client base and increasing the number of student
advocates.
Professor
Goldweber explains, "Based upon the Clinic's client
intakes and community outreach, we have recognized a pattern and
practice of elder abuse by means of predatory lending practices in
the Queens community. These practices threaten our clients’ only
resource – their homes. Lenders target elderly people because they
usually own their own homes free and clear of any encumbrance.
Elderly women living alone are singled out because many of them did
not handle the household's finances and may not be sophisticated in
financial matters. We are working to expand our expertise and
representation in the area of predatory lending so we can best
serve our client community."