LAW-6452 CIVIL POV EXTERNSHIP FIELD
Placement Description: This placement provides students with the opportunity to learn about the legal problems encountered by our community's less fortunate citizens. Working with experienced attorneys, depending on the placement, students are exposed to the most common problems facing the disadvantaged: divorce, guardianship, child custody, landlord-tenant, consumer, bankruptcy, health care, elder care, and small claims court issues. Students explore administrative and legal solutions to these issues as well as conduct research and appear in judicial and administrative proceedings on behalf of their clients. Client interviewing and counseling techniques will also be developed. Placement Requirements: Students placed in a not-for-profit law office, such as the Seminole County Legal Aid Society, Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association or Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc., provide legal services to this community's disadvantaged and must meet the following criteria; Have completed 4 semesters and received not less than 48 credit hours. Have a 2.4 or higher cumulative grade point average and completion of Professional Responsibility and Evidence. Students are required to spend a minimum of 25-35 hours per week at their placement, depending on the semester, and receive five hours of credit for satisfactory completion. Attendance at a weekly seminar is also required. The seminar portion of the externship is graded; the field portion is pass/fail. Students participating in the Civil Poverty Externship must be certified as legal interns (CLIs) in order to represent live clients.