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LAW CLINICS
Housing Justice Practicum
In the Housing Justice Practicum, you’ll step into the role of a tenant rights attorney and put your legal education to work in the service of real clients. Designed for upper-division students, this practicum immerses you in urgent and meaningful work.
Under faculty supervision, you’ll work with Open Door Legal, a USF Law alumni-founded organization, to help real clients facing eviction and housing insecurity.
What will you do?
- Advocate for tenants. Learn your role in legal aid, develop business acumen, and see how lawyers protect housing rights.
- Solve real problems. Identify legal risks, craft solutions, and communicate strategies to clients and supervisors.
- Build client-centered skills. Practice trauma-informed lawyering, refine your listening skills, and engage with clients navigating complex challenges.
- Navigate housing law. From landlord-tenant disputes to discovery and trial prep, you’ll experience the full scope of tenant rights practice.
What will you learn?
Through classroom instruction and working with Open Door Legal, you’ll study the dynamics of landlord-tenant disputes, the nuances of discovery in nonprofit practice, and the methods for ending eviction cases, including settlements and trials. You’ll also explore the historical and systemic issues shaping housing law, including redlining, subsidized housing, and over-policing in low-income communities.
Through simulations and real-world scenarios, you’ll gain a foundation in:
- Client intake and trauma-informed lawyering
- Litigation strategy and motion practice
- Discovery and depositions
- Ethics and professionalism in legal aid practice
Faculty