Elder Law Courses

Stetson has created several courses and programs to educate students about the specific legal needs of older adults. The Elder Law Clinic allows eligible students to attain hands-on experience by working on actual cases in legal services offices where the students actually represent older clients with civil legal problems. Other students work with assistant state attorneys prosecuting cases where older adults are victims of consumer scams. Introduction to Aging and the Law, the Elder Law Seminar, Public Benefits Law, and the Elder Law Internship are examples of some of the courses offered. Course descriptions for each are listed below.

Elder Law Clinic

The clinic student, under the Florida Integration Rule, will be certified to practice law under the supervision of a licensed attorney in the clinic. Some clinic students will represent age 60 and older clients who meet income eligibility guidelines of the local legal aid program. Those students will be responsible for all phases of client representation, including interview, investigation, drafting pleadings/documents, negotiations, administrative hearings and trials. Other students will be placed with assistant state attorneys, prosecuting consumer fraud misdemeanor cases where the victims are older adults. This clinic is typically offered every fall and spring.

Introduction to Aging and the Law

This three-credit course is a survey of the variety of issues of law and ethics that face older adults and their families. This course is offered once a year and is the introductory course for those students interested in elder law.

Elder Law Seminar

This seminar exposes students to a variety of legal topics that impact older adults. Students write in-depth papers on a topic of law impacting older adults and their families. The paper satisfies the school's writing requirement. This is the advanced course for those students interested in elder law. This course is offered once a year.

Public Benefts Law

This course will be an in-depth look at the laws and regulations of various government programs that impact elders, including issues concerning Social Security eligibility, Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, Florida's Medicaid plan, HUD housing, and other programs. A significant amount of the time will focus on Florida Medicaid and how Medicaid intersects with long-term care. Prerequisites: None, although Poverty Law and Introduction to Elder Law would be helpful.

Elder Law Internship 

Students will be placed with several of the agencies in the Tampa Bay area, including the Guardianship Hearing Masters in Hillsborough and Pinellasand the State Attorney's office. In addition to the hours at the assigned placements, students produce 25 pages of research and maintain journals. This program is typically offered every fall and spring.