The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law’s Pro Bono Initiative and the Center for Law and Biomedical Sciences sponsor the pro-bono Medical-Legal Clinic. The Clinic operates with the support of the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake County Health Department, University of Utah Health Care, and operates under the direction of volunteer law students and attorneys at the South Main Health Clinic.
The Medical-Legal Clinic is a valuable resource for underserved populations with unresolved legal needs. Volunteer law students and attorneys typically see legal issues that act as a barrier to the social determinants of health (SDOH). These legal issues range from medical bills and debt to landlord-tenant issues to family law issues. An example of this is a hypothetical case where a family moves into an apartment that is “smoke-free.” After moving in, the family realizes that the previous tenant smoked in the apartment, and neighboring units are not “smoke-free.” The condition of the apartment exacerbates their child’s asthma, which leads to the child missing school and requiring more prescription medication to help her ability breathe in her new apartment.
The Medical-Legal Clinic is able to give brief legal advice related to landlord-tenant laws and provide a possible solution for the family to offer to the landlord. In this case, it could be painting the apartment with a seal to trap in the smoke residue, and to reseal all of the windows in the apartment.
“Participating as a Student Director of the Medical-Legal Clinic has been a valuable experience for me, and for former Biolaw Fellows,” says Kendra Brown, 3L Biolaw fellow. “This clinic allows students to engage with attorneys in the community and to work on resolving legal issues outside of court. Student volunteers are given a small taste of what it will be like to interview clients, ask questions in order to find the legal issue, and to give brief advice for moving forward with their legal claims or defenses.”
The Medical-Legal Clinic is located at:
South Main Health Clinic
3690 South Main Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Hours: 4:30-6:30pm
To make an appointment for the Medical-Legal Clinic, call (801) 587-2525
Problemas relacionados con leyes de arrendadores e inquilinos, cuidados de la salud, e acomodaciones.
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