Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic

Directed by Professor Rima Nathan

The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic is a holistic, interdisciplinary clinic focused on boosting the wellbeing and resilience of low-income older adults through legal advocacy and community education. Students enrolled in the clinic learn the basics of elder law while also working directly on cases and policy issues. 

Learn about the Claude Pepper Elder Law Moot Court Competition

The clinic covers:

► Elder abuse & neglect
► Financial exploitation
► Consumer law
► Advance directives
► Health-care decision making
► Age discrimination
► Public benefits

► Medicare and Medicaid
► Nursing homes and housing
► Caregiver rights and support systems
► The third age
► Resilience and mental health
► Elder populations in prison

How to Apply for Enrollment

Law students interested in enrolling in the Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic should complete the PILC application and contact Professor Rima Nathan to schedule an interview. There are no prerequisites for this clinic. The clinic is open to all students beginning the summer after their 1L year.

All Graduate Students Welcome! The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic is an interdisciplinary project which aims to facilitate problem solving across disciplines. Accordingly, FSU graduate students outside of the law school are encouraged to apply. Graduate students will engage directly in policy advocacy and strategic research to complement the legal services provided by the clinic, both directly and through community initiatives. Students enrolled in graduate programs in criminology, public health, and sociology may find a particular interest in the Elder Law Clinic. Please reach out to Professor Rima Nathan if you are interested.

Participating law students work directly with clients on cases involving powers of attorney, healthcare surrogates, and living wills. Students also assist clients in any of the main clinic topics through advice workshops hosted throughout the greater Leon County area. Outside of the classroom, students develop outreach programs to educate the elder community on their rights and options as they age. Students also engage in legislative advocacy by working directly with local stakeholders and policy leaders.

Participating students:

► Learn substantive elder law.

► Build skills fundamental to the practice of law.

► Directly represent community members.

► Host community know-your-rights presentations and educational workshops.

► Advocate for elder consumers

► Submit policy comments and legislative proposals.

► Draft, disseminate, and present outreach materials.

► Meet with members of the Florida Legislature, the Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, AARP of Florida, local elder law attorneys, and other policy leaders.

► Implement best practices in client-centered, trauma-informed lawyering. 

 

The clinic is committed to experiential learning: the fusion of theory and practice. Students learn by doing, through weekly dialogue with peers and faculty members about cases, critical observations of the performance of various legal professionals, direct visceral exposure to elder law issues, and in-depth interaction with clients and their communities.

Student Testimonials

"The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic was an opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of relevant issues and barriers elder populations face in America. In addition to being assigned clients to draft advance directive documents, I also had the incredible opportunity to work on a conditional medical release project. Not only did I help individuals have conversations about end-of-life planning, but I also learned more about trauma informed lawyering and interacting with clients. The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic provided me the resources and space to interact with elder law attorneys in Tallahassee and representatives in our state government."

- Katlin Hickman

"The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic was an amazing experience! Even though I am not a law student, I benefitted a lot from this clinic. I learned so much important information about advance directives and policies that affect elder populations in Florida and across the country. Professor Nathan made sure that everyone gained valuable experiences and connections throughout the semester and I could not be more grateful for everything that we accomplished!"

- Sara Clark

"The FSU Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic was an incredible experience that provided me holistic insight into the legislative process by working and testifying on a real bill to Florida legislative committees, provided me hands-on experience in drafting estate planning documents, and gave me real world experience learning the skills to building healthy and successful attorney-client relationships."

- Veronica G. Hernandez

"Participating in the Elder Law Clinic has been an invaluable experience that introduced me to a new area of law I’ve become incredibly passionate about. Through direct client contact—particularly in drafting advance directives to support client autonomy—I gained meaningful, hands-on experience that deepened my understanding of how legal tools can empower individuals during vulnerable moments. The clinic exposed me to substantive legal issues which have shaped my future career aspirations. This experience not only strengthened my practical skills but also reaffirmed my commitment to client-centered, public interest work."

- Alexis Fulton

Upcoming Events

To be announced!

Lectures & Events

Consumer Law Lecture with Ted Mermin, Executive Director of the Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice | October 28, 2024
  Watch Recording  

Claude Pepper Elder Law Moot Court Competition | November 7-9, 2024
  Watch Recording  

Clinic Hosts Webinar for OSCA to Train Judges on Protecting Elders | December 3, 2024
  Watch Recording  

Humane Prison Hospice Movie Screening | March 6, 2025
  Watch Recording  

 

 

Recent News & Features

 

Professor Nathan honored with Member of the Year Award from the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar

 

Elder Law Clinic students Lexi Cook, Veronica Hernandez, and Abby Kaplan publish in the Fall 2024 edition of the Advocate, the official journal of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar

Fall 2024
The Elder Law Advocate Advocate
 

AARP Florida bestows Fraud Fighter Award on FSU law school professor, elder law clinic creator

July 1, 2024
'We are the only legal clinic in the state of Florida that focuses exclusively on elderly law.' Rima Nathan is the first ever recipient of the AARP Florida Fraud Fighter Award. She isn’t a law enforcement officer, lawmaker or other well-recognized state official.  But she is making a difference in helping low-income Florida seniors (aged 60 and older) settle their legal woes, or avoid them altogether, as well as train a future legal workforce on elder care law....

Read the full Florida Politics article here.

 

AARP Florida Recognizes Rima Nathan of the Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic as a Community ‘Fraud Fighter

June 28, 2024

AARP Florida recently named Rima Nathan, director of Florida State University’s Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic, a “Florida Fraud Fighter” of distinction at its Opening Minds Through Art event on June 21. The Florida Fraud Fighter award honors the “dedication of individuals who are actively working to combat the scourge of scams and fraud targeting Floridians of all.

Read the full The Florida Bar article here.

 

  Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic Recent News & Features  

 

Resources

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Student Publications

Claude Pepper

About Claude Pepper

Claude Denson Pepper paved the way for elder justice. In 1928, Senator Pepper began his distinguished career of public service in the Florida House of Representatives. In 1936, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served for 14 years. In the Senate, he served on numerous committees and chaired both the Subcommittee on Wartime Health and Education and the Committee on Patents. Among other groundbreaking legislation efforts, Senator Pepper led the passage of an amendment creating state offices to prevent abuse of elderly persons and was an author of sweeping reforms to protect residents of American nursing homes. He held hearings on the need for national guardianship reform and was influential in the passage of Medicare and Medicaid. The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic honors Claude Pepper’s legacy by staying committed to serving the needs of our growing elderly population.