CLINICS BY THE NUMBERS

CLINICS SPOTLIGHTS

Human Rights Clinic Files Federal Brief to Repeal Law Harming Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking

Students worked with Director Caroline Bettinger-López in filing an amicus brief in the Southern District of Florida, supporting a lawsuit by the City of South Miami alongside civil and immigrants’ rights groups that seeks the repeal of a draconian state law that harms immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

U.S. Court of Appeals for Fourth Circuit Sides with Investor Rights Clinic in Favor of Small Claims Investors

"The Fourth Circuit's decision correctly recognized the amount of discretion given arbitration panels, the role of FINRA's conduct rules in forming the basis of a claim and – importantly for small claim investors – upheld the flexible pleading standards provided by FINRA," said Clinic Director Teresa J. Verges

Children and Youth Law Clinic Leading the Way with Child Welfare Reform

Associate Director Robert Latham and Clinic Co-Director and Associate Dean for Experiential Learning and Professor of Law Kele Stewart are tackling the herculean task of trying to reform Miami's child welfare system.

Heath Care Law in Action: Health Rights Clinic Wins Clients $125K+ in Benefits in Five Social Security Cases

The Clinic, led by JoNel Newman and Associate Director Melissa Gibson Swain, has stacked an impressive streak of wins in the Fall semester for their underserved clientele and won five Social Security cases for clients who had been wrongly denied benefits. It had even been fighting one such action since 2014.

Immigration Clinic Releases Major Work – Series of In-Depth Practice Advisories – on Immigration Consequences of Florida Crimes

The Clinic, headed by Rebecca Sharpless, released advisories supervised by Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence Dan Kesselbrenner, marking the 10-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Padilla v. Kentucky that defense attorneys must advise their noncitizen clients of the potential impact of plea agreements on their immigration status.

Clinic Directors Featured in Episodes of Season 5 of Miami Law Explainer Podcast

In the weekly podcast from Miami Law, clinic faculty and clinician experts examined and explained the law, one headline at a time. Episodes included:

• The Eviction Explosion COVID-19 has exposed the depth of this country’s rental housing crisis. Tenants’ Rights Clinic Director Jeffrey Hearne talks about the quandary and the solutions. Recorded 11/11/20.
• The Gay Right to Foster The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case of a Roman Catholic adoption agency's entitlement to discriminate against LGBTQ foster parents. Children and Youth Law Clinics Bernard Perlmutter and Robert Latham joined the friend of the court brief and unpack the case. Recorded 11/06/20.
• Jailers Gotta Jail Since the coronavirus began spreading in the United States, jails, prisons, and detention facilities have been hard hit. Innocence Director Craig Trocino opens the door. Recorded 10/29/20.
• Too Late for Environmental Justice? COVID-19 has given voice to disparities of class and privilege worldwide foreshadowing those same inequities navigating climate change mitigation. Abigail Fleming, the Environmental Justice Clinic’s Fredman Foundation Practitioner in Residence, guides us through what needs to change. Recorded 10/01/20.

MORE CLINICS NEWS

BANKRUPTCY ASSISTANCE CLINIC
Recent Miami Law Graduate Clerks for Honorable Mindy A. Mora on the Bankruptcy Court

COMMUNITY EQUITY, INNOVATION AND RESOURCE LAB
Students Address Fair Housing and Health Disparity Issues Affecting Nearby Residents

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CLINIC
Environmental Justice Clinic Strikes New Ground in the Energy Justice Movement

HUMAN RIGHTS CLINIC
Human Rights Clinic Assesses Impact of COVID-19 on Gender-Based Violence in South Florida

INNOCENCE CLINIC
Innocence Clinic Holds Steadfast In Now Five-Year Fight for Justice for Innocent Client

INVESTOR RIGHTS CLINIC
Teresa Verges, Investor Rights Clinic Director, Receives PIABA Outstanding Service Award

TENANTS’ RIGHTS CLINIC
Tenants’ Rights Clinic Prepares for 2021 Deluge of Evictions