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Clinic Program

Elder Law Clinic

Second- and third-year students in the Elder Law Clinic work with senior citizens in Bloomington and surrounding communities to gain a better understanding of the major issues facing the elderly population.

As the elderly population expands over the next decade, the needs of this group will move to the forefront of the legal profession. Attorneys who represent elderly clients face unique challenges and require a special set of skills learned primarily through experience. The Elder Law Clinic fills a vital need for education in this field as well as providing much needed services to senior citizens.

Students provide legal assistance to clients age 60 and older on a wide range of civil legal problems, including housing, public benefits, consumer law, tax, advance directives, and family law. Work on individual cases varies, but responsibilities may include:

  • Outreach and intake (interviewing prospective clients)
  • Legal research and fact investigation
  • Review and preparation of documents, pleadings, and discovery
  • Selection of cases
  • Direct client representation
  • Negotiations and appearances in administrative or judicial hearings
  • The planning and execution of community education programs

Students also select a community presentation topic, assist in the scheduling and advertising of the presentation, and deliver the presentation to audiences such as grandparent-support groups, senior meal sites, or adult community centers.

Requirements

This clinic is a 3 credit hour, semester-long course. Permission from Jamie Andree, the clinic director, is required for enrollment (enrollment is limited to five per year).

Participants in the Elder Law Clinic must:

  • Attend weekly two-hour class meetings
  • Commit an average of 10-12 hours per week to working in the ILS office
  • Meet with supervising attorney a minimum of once per week to discuss activities
  • Work on an average of three to four cases per semester
Contact the Elder Law Clinic

Clinic Director: Jamie Andree, ILS Managing Attorney
E-mail: jamie [dot] andree [at] ilsi [dot] net
Phone: (812) 339-7668
Indiana Legal Services (ILS)
College Square, Second floor
214 S. College Ave
Bloomington, IN 47404

B583: Elder Law Clinic course description