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About the Clinic
Work of the Clinic The State of Georgia is under tremendous growth pressure. Some of its counties rank among the top ten fastest growing in the nation. This growth has created short-term economic gain for the state, but it has come with costs. These include a decrease in air and water quality, with an increase in respiratory illness and drinking water treatment costs. Wildlife habitat is being eliminated, resulting in an increase in imperiled and endangered species. Also, as property taxes increase to pay for sprawling schools and infrastructure, the financial pressure to convert farm and timber land to residential and commercial use intensifies. The price of housing is also increasing beyond the means of ordinary working people. Various regions are competing with one another for scarce water resources. Towns are losing their individual character and becoming more alike and less attractive and liveable. As metropolitan areas continue to sprawl, traffic gridlock increases. Most, if not all, of these impacts could be avoided if growth were managed carefully. The Land Use Clinic promotes the use of growth management tools in Georgia, drafting model legislation to protect greenspace, control stormwater and other water pollution, cluster development away from sensitive resources, promote affordable housing and preserve farmland and open space. The Clinic also broadens the University’s offerings in land use law, helping us attract students interested in the developing field of growth management, and assuring they graduate with invaluable practical experience in the field. The clinic also develops and diversifies existing opportunities within the Law School’s Civil Clinic program. It provides a formal opportunity for clinical work in transactional and administrative law, with a heavy stress on legal and public policy issues. It is a beneficial experience for any law student interested in land use, real estate, environmental or commercial law, or in community leadership on state or local land use issues. Course Overview Students work in the clinic office an average of 10-15 hours per week during a semester. They work on legal aspects of comprehensive growth management projects for state agencies, local governments, and non-profits. Students also respond to more time-sensitive research requests that come in to the clinic throughout the course of the semester. The students’ learning is directly supervised by the managing attorney. Students engage in at least one substantial piece of research and writing as a class paper. These projects include written scholarly analysis, policy papers, educational materials, or operative legal documents. Students also engage in traditional clinical reflection; they submit periodic journals of their experience and have two formal personal interviews with the managing attorney. Home
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Land
Use Clinic
University of Georgia School of Law
Athens, Georgia 30606
(706) 542-8043 |
