Are you a law student?
Do you want experience:
... observing court hearings?
... interacting with Court personnel?
... client interviewing?
Legal Aid's Housing Justice Alliance helped create the Right to Counsel Cleveland (RTC) - free legal representation for tenants facing eviction. Now, certain Cleveland tenants with low-income have the right to an attorney in Cleveland Housing Court. Legal Aid needs the help of law students to screen clients. The tasks will include:
- Observe eviction dockets (via Zoom) in Cleveland Housing Court.
- The Court will refer tenants potentially eligible for RTC to a volunteer for a short interview and RTC screening.
- The volunteer will meet with the tenant in a Zoom break-out room and screen them using an electronic questionnaire integrated with Legal Aid’s case management system.
- The volunteer will inform tenants whether they appear to be eligible for a RTC attorney and provide information regarding next steps in the process.
Note: a reliable computer with good internet connection is needed to participate.
This is a three step process. You must complete all steps at least 3 days before the cohort begins.
- Commit to working with us February 3 - February 28 (four weeks, excluding the holidays). Dockets begin at 9am. You must commit to at least one docket per week and plan to work that same docket each week (you can sign up for additional days of the week if you have time). Each docket is about 2-3 hours long. You should plan on being available from 9am to noon on your chosen day each week. Please do not sign up if you cannot commit to being available on your selected day for every week of the cohort.
- watch this 40-minute training video: https://youtu.be/Ik1FC7jKTLI. The training provides guidance on how the docket works and how to track work and time in Legal Aid's electronic case management system.
- email attorney Lauren Hamilton at Legal Aid once you watch the training to (1) let her know you viewed, and (2) ask any questions. Lauren can be reached at Lauren.Hamilton (at) lasclev.org.
** This step is important. If you do not confirm with Lauren that you watched the video, you cannot be scheduled to screen any dockets.
Interested? Available? Sign-up below no later than 5:00 pm on January 28, 2025!