Poverty Law II
University of St. Thomas School of Law
Spring Semester 2013

Adjunct Professors:		
Lawrence R. McDonough
Managing Attorney, Housing Unit
Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis
430 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-746-3633 Phone and Fax

	Monica Bogucki, BSW, J.D.
Staff Attorney, Juvenile Unit
Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis
430 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-746-3614 Phone and Fax

Office Hours:

The professors are available before or after class period and also available by appointment, and available by email.

Course Time:

Monday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:55 p.m., in UST Law Building Room 235. See Class Schedule for more details, http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com/Schedule.html.

Course Grade:

Students will complete two research papers, discussed below. See Class Schedule for subjects and time deadlines.  Each assignment will count for 50% of the grade.  Final grades may be increased or reduced 1 point based upon class attendance and participation.  You cannot consult with other students or attorneys on your papers.  The papers must completed by yourself.

Incomplete Grades:

If a student is unable to complete the course requirements, please make arrangements with the instructors prior to the final day of class.  The “incomplete policy” of the University of St. Thomas School of Law will be followed.

Late Papers:

We have a strict policy on late papers to mirror the reality of the practice of law.  If you turn in a paper late without discussing it with the Dean of Students in advance, the professor can either reduce the grade or not give a grade at all.

Policy on Disabilities:

In compliance with the University of St. Thomas policy and disability laws, we are available to discuss academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability.  Students are encouraged to register with the Enhancement Program-Disability Services office for disability verification and for determination of academic accommodations.  Please do so within the first two weeks of the term.  Appointments can be made by calling 651-962-6315 or 800-328-6819, extension 6315. Telephone appointments are available as needed. You may also make an appointment in Shaughnessy Educational Center, room 119. For further information, you can locate the Enhancement Program on the web at http://www.stthomas.edu/enhancementprog/. 

Late Registrations:

If you are not on the class list, you must see the Registrar for admission to the class.

Attendance:

Attendance is required at every class.  Attendance sign in sheets will be provided at every class.  If a student misses a number of classes, the professors reserve the right to reduce the student’s grade.

Website:

Visit the class website at  for materials and updates.  The website serves poverty law courses at the UST and UOM Law Schools.

Textbooks:

Textbooks are available in the University of St. Thomas School of Law Bookstore

1.		What I Wish I’d Learned in Law School

2.		Keith Richards, Tender Mercies: Inside the World of a Child Abuse Investigator, Child Welfare League of America, Inc. 440 First Street N. W. Third Floor, Washington, DC, ISBN 0-87868-738-6

3.	Economic Justice for All, Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, National Conference on Catholic Bishops, ISBN 1-57455-135-3, United Stated Catholic Conference, Inc. Washington, D.C.

Other reading materials are available on line at .  Reading assignments are in the class schedule, available on line at  

Handouts:

Handouts will be provided in some of the classes.  If you are not going to be in class, please arrange with another student to get handouts for you.  Because the instructors do not have office space on campus, it is difficult for instructors to carry handouts each week for multiple classes.

While most of the course is taught by Professors Bogucki and McDonough, there will be appearances by some guest lecturers.  The professors with try to obtain their materials as soon before their classes as possible, and post them on line.  Other reading materials are available on line at  when possible.  As they are attorneys in practice, who are agreeing to teach in addition to their practices, there are occasions when their materials may not be available until the classes they teach.  The Professors urge students to be understanding of their role.

Graded Assignments: Research Papers:

Two research problems will be assigned during the semester.  Each student will turn in a double-spaced paper with one inch margins, and 12 point Time New Roman font, 7 pages for Paper 1 and 10 pages for Paper 2, answering the research problem.  Please use only materials assigned in class and in the handouts.  Papers must be the entire work of the individual student, including issue spotting, research, and writing.

Cell Phones and Pagers:

Please put cell phones and pagers on vibration or silent mode.  Please do not answer phones or pagers during class.  If you need to make other arrangements, talk with the professors.

Course Structure and Focus:

This is a practice based class and does not primarily focus on theory.  The course also involves covering separate substantive topics throughout the semester in alternating classes (i.e. welfare one day, housing the next) rather than in sequence, to simulate the real life practice of having to develop different substantive areas in a case at the same time.  Students should decide ahead of time whether they can accommodate this teaching style. In addition, this class focuses primarily on Minnesota law.