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WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS NEED LAWYERS
Student Legal Services | West Virginia University | 304-293-4897
The Evolving Role of Student Legal Services• Value to University and Community University Departments
Student Life Campus and Community
Life Student Conduct
Legal Community Courts Local Lawyers
• Schools value the role of SLS in problem solving
• Student Legal Services is not a stand alone operation.
Role of the Attorney in Student Development
• Even a minor legal issue can derail a student’s success.
• Potential Impacts: Loss of scholarship Loss of graduate school
opportunities Security clearance Loss of commission Deportation Financial trouble
Services Provided to StudentsAttorneys can play a major
role in overall student development and progress. Colleges and universities are beginning to recognize the role of the legal community
in student success.
• Legal advice, assistance, recommendation, representation
• Negotiations
• Mediations
• Proactive legal planning
• Educational programming
The Domino EffectExamples:1. Legal Issue Academic Standing/Progress Issues Mental Health Issues/Financial Aid Issues
2. Legal Issue Permanent Record Family Plans and Career Plans
Characteristics of Students• Fear of Authority
• Naïveté
• Overwhelmed
• Head in the Sand/Disinterest
• Economic/Financial Issues
Cultural Differences
• Viewpoint on the law can vary.
• Cultural background and family values may influence one’s perspective on the legal system
• There may be a stigma with seeking help.
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_csb.a
sp
Who is Today’s Student?• Not always traditional 18-25 year olds
• Many undergraduate students are commuters, full-time workers, veterans, and/or parents
• Statistics: 71% of undergraduate students working (2011)
1/5 worked 35+ hours year-round (2011) 17.7 million undergraduate students (2012)
60% attended 4-year institutions 77% attended full-time 86-88% young adults (under age 25)
40% attended 2-year institutions 41% attended full-time 71% young adults (under 25)
http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=west+vi
rginia+university&s=all&
id=238032#enrolmt
Snapshot: WVU• Fall 2013 Statistics
• Enrollment Total: 29,466 Undergraduate: 22,757 Undergraduate transfer-in: 1,101 Graduate: 6,709 Veterans: 1109 (778 male/323 Female)
• Undergraduate student gender 46% female 54% male
http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=west+vi
rginia+university&s=all&
id=238032#enrolmt
Snapshot: WVU• Undergraduate attendance status
92% full-time 8% part-time
• Undergraduate student age
http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=west+vi
rginia+university&s=all&
id=238032#enrolmt
Snapshot: WVU• Undergraduate race/ethnicity
Our Mission StatementThe mission of Student Legal Services at West Virginia University is to provide counseling, advice, education, and representation to students to assist them to resolve legal issues and to foster and support students’ learning development. SLS is committed to protecting the legal rights and interests of the student body by providing high quality legal and mediation services at no cost to both undergraduate and graduate students, individually and collectively, as well as student government and student organizations.
Recent SLS Statistics- Jan. 2013 to present
• Money saved: $200,840
• Money received: $106,010
• Number of students served: 2299
Best Practices Overview• Ethics / Conflicts of Interest
• Services Provided or Excluded
• Budget
• Staffing
• Professional Development /Professional Organizations
• Space
• Legal Educational Programming
• Department Review
• Assessment
Ethics / Conflicts of Interest• No Student vs. Student advice or representation
• Cannot represent a student if the result would negatively affect another student (i.e. lease issues)
• No representation or advice for any issues with the University
Services Provided• Determine the Scope of the Office
• Representation (Civil) / (Contested / Uncontested Domestic cases)
• Limited Representation (Ex: Auto Accident Settlement)
• Advice & Counsel w/ Limited Representation
• Advice & Counsel Only—Criminal Matters
• Other services: Mediation Notary
Services Excluded• Immigration
• Business Entity Formation
• Taxation
• Bankruptcy
• Other specialized areas of the law
Staffing• Attorneys
Goal: (1 full-time attorney for every 15,000 students)
• Support Staff Administrative Assistant - designated exclusively for SLS to avoid conflicts of interest (Full-Time)
Law Clerk(s) / If you are in an area close to Law School or a Paralegal Program
Student Workers / Graduate Assistants Student Intern/Extern(s)
Office Space• Student Legal Services should NOT share office space with
other departments due to confidentiality issues.
• Student Legal Services should be housed in a location separate and apart from other departments. (Ex: SLS Office Suite)
• There should be adequate space to accommodate the needs of the office.
• Considerations: File storage Accessibility Staffing of the Office Mediation Adequate space to meet with clients Waiting area
Budget• Budget considerations:
Staffing Travel State Bar Fees Marketing M&O (office supplies, copy leases, phone, fax, postage) Legal Research Database (Lexis-Nexis or Westlaw) Legal Database (CLIO) Legal Reference Materials (Ex: Family Law Practice Manuel, Codes) Professional Development: (Continuing Legal Education / State Bar
College) Local, Regional, & National Bar Association Dues Malpractice Insurance Equipment (Technology): computers, scanner, printer/copier/fax,
iPad
Professional Development• Continuing Legal Education, (CLE) * Required
24 hours at least (3) hours (ethics/ professional responsibility) every 2 years
• Membership in the West Virginia State Bar
• Recommendations: Attend at least one topic specific CLE program per year Attend University Student Legal Services Annual
National Conference (CLE credit) Attend a region-specific SLS CLE (Western Region, etc)
Professional Organizations• State Bar of West Virginia Sections
• Local Bar Associations
• National Bar Associations Ex: ABA
• Student Legal Services Professional Organizations National Legal Aid & Defenders: University Student Legal
Services Section President, Mark J. Karon, University of Minnesota SLS
Western Region University Student Legal Services Association President, Sylvia Holmes, UT Austin/Texas State San Marcos
Note: The national organization maintains a listserv & is a valuable network and source of information on emerging issues across college campuses
Legal Educational Programming• SLS can provide valuable preventative and know your rights
programing on various legal hot topics relevant to the populations they serve: Landlord Tenant Presentations Identity Theft Criminal Background Checks & Employment / Implications of Social Media Family Law Seminar Immigration Law Seminar Estate Planning Workshop Orientation Session (Parents / Students / International Students) What You Don’t Know Can Cost You---an overview of your legal rights Residence Hall Dinners Community Organizations/Presentations/Representation Partner with other departments on campus to present programs to a
variety of students & organizations. SLS is available to student groups and organizations to make presentations.
Department Review • Strategic Planning
• Annual Reports
• Budget Allocation Presentations
• Program Audit (Ex: CAS)
• Self Assessment
• Internal Review (Team from within the university community)
• External Review (Attorney from another SLS institution reviews the program)
Assessment• Benchmarking with comparable or peer institutions
• Annually Review Mission Statement
• Annually conduct a Needs Assessment
• Annually Develop & Assess Learning Outcomes
• Client Satisfaction Survey
• Assess Legal Education Programming
Survey Link and Info.
https://wvu.campuslabs.com
Contact InformationCarrie Showalter, Managing Attorney
304-293-4897 (P) | 304-293-5601 (F)
P.O. Box 6411, Morgantown, WV 26506-6411
http://campuslife.wvu.edu/student_legal_services
