The College of Law is adding a Housing Clinic to its clinical legal education offerings beginning in the Fall 2024 semester.
The Housing Clinic will operate in partnership with Legal Services of Central New York and the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York to provide representation to low-income tenants in eviction, housing conditions and other rental housing-related matters. Students in the clinic, working under the supervision of clinic director Professor Gary Pieples, will handle all aspects of clients’ cases, including interviewing and counseling, investigation, negotiation, pleading and motion practice, courtroom advocacy and real estate procedure.
“The Housing Clinic will bring much-needed representation to an underserved population dealing with profound living condition issues,” says Dean Craig M. Boise. “At the same time, our students will be gaining practical legal skills essential to a legal career and a priority in the College of Law curriculum.”
“Housing cases move quickly and are tried almost immediately, providing students with multiple opportunities during the semester to see a case through to resolution—from the initial interview and filing of motions to settlement or trial, including appearing in Syracuse City Court,” says Pieples. “The Housing Clinic also provides students another opportunity to explore public interest law as a career.”
The Housing Clinic is underwritten by a grant from Legal Services of Central New York and the Legal Aid Society, which received additional New York State funding under the Tenant Dignity and Safe Housing Act.
The College of Law now offers students a choice of seven legal clinics: the Bankruptcy Clinic, the Betty & Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, the Criminal Defense Clinic, the Disability Rights Clinic, the Housing Clinic, the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, and the Transactional Law Clinic.