Economic and Consumer Justice Clinic (YR)

LAW8643
Section 1, Fall 25

Schedule Information

Enrollment: 8/8
Credits: 4
Days Time Room Start Date End Date

Wed

 		1000-1200 LAJC1 08/27/2025 12/03/2025

Course Description

This yearlong clinical course is offered in partnership with the Legal Aid Justice Center, and course meetings are typically held onsite at the firm. LAJC’s clinics are designed to educate students about the range of strategies used by attorneys to identify, investigate and attack systemic injustices, encouraging holistic and community-partnered approaches to lawyering. Payday lending, title pawns and debt collectors are all part of a larger system targeting vulnerable communities, which traps those with less in a cycle of poverty. The consumer law clinic explores what some call “Poverty Inc.” through hands-on experience with clients, litigation and research. Students learn basic information about various consumer protection statutes while practicing skills related to the entire range of client representation, such as interviewing clients, investigating complaints, conducting discovery and drafting court pleadings. Students gather factual information and conduct legal research to analyze their client’s legal rights. Students represent consumers in negotiations and participate in court and administrative proceedings to the extent permitted by law. Prior clinics have included two class-action lawsuits and several cases in federal court, and participation in impact litigation is likely for this academic year. Students are given the chance to identify ways that the rules affecting consumers should be changed and to work on making such changes happen. Students engage in casework throughout the year.

Course Requirements

Exam Information

Final Type (if any): None

Description: None

Written Work Product

Legal memoranda, correspondence, and pleadings; case management notes and time records; and other written policy materials as cases and projects dictate.

Other Course Details

Prerequisites: Because the credits in this course count toward the JD Program Professional Skills requirement, JD candidates will be given enrollment priority for this class. Concurrencies: None

Exclusive With: None

Laptops Allowed: Yes

First Day Attendance Required: Yes

Course Resources: To be announced via Canvas.

Course Notes: NOTE REGARDING ENROLLMENT: the enrollment process is described at https://www.law.virginia.edu/clinics/faqs-about-clinics#howenroll. If seats are available in this clinic after the lottery process, students can request enrollment via https://virginia.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8AoAfjpGKKmaHxc. If a student seeking a seat in this class is enrolled in another clinic, enrollment authorization from the instructors from both clinics must be provided to the Student Records Office via email ([email protected]). The Clinic will meet as a group at LAJC’s office (1000 Preston Avenue, Suite A) during the scheduled course time for seminar. IMPORTANT: All clinic participants must attend an “Orientation to Law Clinics at LAJC” session at the start of the semester. This session will provide clinic participants with necessary information about working with LAJC and its client community. The date for the session will be announced by the clinicians, but it will likely be held just before the first day for upper-level classes. ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT: Enrolled students who do not attend the first class session and the mandatory orientation will be dropped unless granted prior approval by the instructors. MATTER ASSIGNMENT POLICY: Matters assigned by instructor with input from students considered.

Graduation Requirements

Satisfies Understanding Bias/Racism/Cross-Cultural Competency requirement: Yes

Satisfies Writing Requirement: No

Credits For Prof. Skills Requirement: Yes

Satisfies Professional Ethics: No

Additional Course Information

Schedule No.: 125818752

Modified Type: Clinical (Excl.)

Cross Listed: No

Waitlist Count: 0

Concentrations: Corporate, Business and Transactional , Litigation and Dispute Resolution , Public Service and Leadership

Evaluation Portal Via LawWeb Opens: Sunday, November 23, 12:01 AM

Evaluation Portal Via LawWeb Closes: Friday, December 05, 11:59 PM

Information reflected on this page was last refreshed at: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 - 7:02 AM *

*During open enrollment periods, live enrollment data may be found in SIS.