RECOMMENDED: Law 225 Civil Procedure, Law 462 Wills & Estates
This course provides 2nd and 3rd year students with the opportunity to work at the Queen's Elder Law Clinic (QELC), which is a specialized clinic that provides legal advice, services, assistance and information to low-income seniors in the Kingston and surrounding area.
Through involvement in the QELC, students will have opportunities to develop skills in interviewing clients, managing client files, preparing and advising on simple wills, powers of attorney for personal care, powers of attorney for property, responding to general estate inquiries, and preparing applications for Certificates of Appointment of Estate Trustee (With and Without a Will).
Students will also assist elderly and vulnerable clients with a variety of age-related legal issues such as capacity, substitute decision making, understanding rights under current legislation, how to effectively communicate with third parties on legal issues, and identifying and addressing misuse or abuse of authority on the part of grantees. Students will also carry out legal analysis, manage effective relationships with clients, and become familiar with best practices for assisting elderly, disabled, or vulnerable clients. Lastly, students will also research legal issues related to aging and substitute decision making, and then present seminars and written material on topics to both the course, and to interested community groups (public legal education).
Instruction is provided through lectures and class discussion, as well as through individual student casework supervised by the Director and/or Review Counsel.
Students will also be actively involved in the operation of the Clinic, learning and developing skills in practice administration and management, client development, Law Society regulations, the use of retainer agreements and the use of time and case management software.
The course will run from September until April (two terms) and take place at the downtown offices of the Queen's Law Clinics (QLC), 5th Floor, LaSalle Mews, 303 Bagot Street, Kingston. Student caseworkers will meet as a class for three hours each week on a date and time to be set and, in addition, will attend at the QLC regularly and as required to meet with the clinic Director and/or Review Counsel, and to complete casework. Students will normally be required to attend at other locations in the course of their work including Kingston General Hospital, Providence Care Hospital, local penitentiaries, local retirement homes or long term care facilities, and community legal aid clinics outside of Kingston.
Grading will be based on an evaluation of the casework completed by the student throughout the year, participation in class discussions, professionalism, and the completion of course-related assignments such as presentations and public legal education.
A maximum of 16 students will be admitted to this course. Student caseworkers will be selected by the Clinic Director based on a written application process.
Queen¿s Law policy limits students to only one of the following clinical courses: QBLC LAW 438, QELC LAW 695, QFLC LAW 527, QPLC LAW418, QLA LAW 590. Students enrolled in one of those five clinical courses are not eligible for enrolment in another.