Law School Garners $250,000 for Clinical Education Building

The Allegheny County Redevelopment Authority has approved a $250,000 grant for the School of Law to help furnish and purchase equipment for the future home of its clinical education program, the Anna Shultz Building located at 914 Fifth Avenue.

“We’re honored that the law school has received this important grant, that will enable our law clinic and our students to directly serve citizens in Allegheny County,” said Law Dean Ken Gormley. “The new location in Uptown, in close proximity to the courthouses, will give our law clinic an unprecedented ability to serve clients in the community and to assist the courts in dispensing justice.”

The School of Law’s Clinical Legal Education Program was developed to serve the community by providing good counsel, to train students in the practice of law and to promote the rewards of public service.

The school’s seven clinical programs benefit underserved families, individuals and communities. The clinics address the areas of civil rights, community enterprise, federal practice, pro se motions, unemployment, urban development and veterans.

In addition, the clinic provides services associated with real estate development in distressed areas throughout the region. These include general real estate matters, title searches, negotiation and drafting of agreements, preparation of land use cases, zoning issues, mortgage foreclosure matters, property tax assessment appeals, appellate land use practice, and participating in public meetings. These activities have stretched the facilities to their capacity, limiting the further expansion of clinical programs.

The clinic facilities have been located on the sixth floor of Fisher Hall since 1997.

“We are grateful to Senator Jay Costa Jr. and all of the elected officials who supported this special grant application,” added Gormley. “We intend to make sure that it has an enduring, positive impact on the entire region.”