Consumer Economic Justice Clinic
The Consumer Economic Justice Clinic (CEJC) is a dynamic, two-semester clinic where students learn substantive consumer law while developing essential lawyering skills. At its core, Consumer law seeks to protect individuals from unfair, predatory, and deceptive business practices. Students in the clinic play a vital role in advancing these objectives through client representation and community lawyering.
The CEJC is comprised of a 3-credit seminar and a 3-credit fieldwork component in the fall and spring for a total of 12 credits over the course of the academic year. In the seminar, students learn about key consumer laws; analyze the causes of individual consumer legal problems; and apply a macro lens to discuss structural reforms for achieving economic justice. Students also work on legislative and policy initiatives in the spring semester with a focus on addressing economic injustice by providing consumer protection to low-income and under-resourced communities.
Through fieldwork, students engage in litigation advocacy and gain hands-on experience. The cases that students work on include civil matters related to debt collection, wage attachment, credit reporting, and unfair and deceptive business practices. This work encompasses defending clients against unjust debt collection lawsuits and bringing affirmative cases against companies that violate consumer protection laws. In collaboration with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), CEJC students also provide legal services at the Consumer Debt Lawyer for the Day Clinic in various courts, including the Boston Municipal Court, Roxbury Division (Wednesdays, 1-3 pm).
The work students undertake in the CEJC equips them for diverse legal sectors and career paths. They develop transferable legal skills by writing briefs, formulating case strategies, conducting fact investigations, interviewing clients, and presenting oral arguments in court. Additionally, students may gain experience in community education and enhancing access to justice through movement lawyering. In addition to becoming proficient legal advocates, students also emerge as informed consumers.
FACULTY
The clinic is taught by Associate Clinical Professor Jade Brown, who has extensive expertise in consumer law. Before joining BU Law, Professor Brown played a pivotal role in establishing GBLS’ Lawyer for the Day Debt Defense Clinics.
