LAW7 655 - Mental Health Law Clinic

This yearlong clinical course will be offered in conjunction with the Legal Aid Justice Center. Students will represent mentally ill or mentally disabled clients in negotiations, administrative hearings, and court proceedings (to the extent permitted by law) on a variety of legal matters, including Social Security, Medicaid, and disability benefits claims; disability discrimination claims; access to housing; and access to mental health or rehabilitative services. Students also will address systemic issues related to the provision of community-based services, the rights of the institutionalized, and the interface between the civil justice and criminal justice systems. The classroom component will provide a forum for students to learn mental health and disability law pertinent to the cases they are handling, as well as for the discussion of practice and ethical issues arising in those cases. Topics relating to the nature of psychiatric diagnosis and mental disorders, client competence and surrogate decision-making for incompetent clients, and the relationship between the criminal and civil justice systems will also be addressed. Under the supervision of an attorney, students will directly perform all the lawyerly functions associated with their cases, including client and witness interviews, factual development, legal research, preparation of documents and pleadings, and negotiation and advocacy in administrative forums and courts. In addition to representing individual clients, students will have the opportunity to engage in mental health advocacy at a systemic level, which may involve policy analysis and the development of policy proposals or proposed legislation, class action litigation, or advocacy work with community agencies.

Prerequisites & Notes
Prerequisite: Second- or third-year status.

Credits: 5