WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS NEED LAWYERS Student Legal Services

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 Students Attorneys 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 Effect Examples: 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.

• Not always traditional 18 -25 year olds • Many undergraduate students are commuters, full-time workers, veterans, and/or parents • Increase in international student population? http: //nces. ed. gov/programs/coe/indicator_csb. asp Who is Today’s Student?

Our Mission Statement The 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. 2015 to present • Money saved: $76, 480. 93 • Money received: $69, 821. 61 • Attorney’s Fees saved: $134, 646 (since April 1, 2015) • Number of students served: 2408

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, i. Pad

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. • http: //studentvoice. com/wvu/studentlegalservicessatisfaction 2010

Contact Information Carrie Showalter, Managing Attorney Carrie. Showalter@mail. wvu. edu 304 -293 -4897 (P) | 304 -293 -5601 (F) P. O. Box 6411, Morgantown, WV 26506 -6411 http: //campuslife. wvu. edu/student_legal_services