FARMWORKER LEGAL AID CLINIC
The Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic (FLAC) at Villanova Law represents farmworkers and their families and provides legal support for organizations working to empower workers and end the racial and economic injustices impacting these communities.
One of only two clinics dedicated to farmworkers in the nation, FLAC provides much-needed pro bono legal representation to marginalized workers living and working in rural areas of Pennsylvania in industries ranging from mushrooms to apples to dairy farms to meat production.
Villanova Law students in FLAC work in teams, form meaningful relationships with their clients and oftentimes meet with clients in their own neighborhoods to best learn about their client’s community, perspective and working conditions. Students also have the opportunity to learn from and may work with community organizations. Our projects with our community partners have included trainings for staff and youth at community centers, legal research for a coalition seeking to close an immigrant detention center and filing FOIA requests for information on immigration enforcement in Pennsylvania.
FLAC students are assigned cases and projects based on their personal goals and interests. They are the primary advocates for their clients and gain significant legal experience in cases such as deportation defense matters, including asylum, cancellation of removal proceedings, visa applications for immigrant youth and visas for victims of labor trafficking and other serious crimes. Students have also represented agricultural workers seeking redress for employment issues including sexual harassment, wage theft, workers compensation, dangerous working conditions, unemployment benefits and retaliatory discharge.
SKILLS DEVELOPED
- Case Planning
- Case Management
- Interviewing and Counseling
- Persuasive Writing
- Narrative Theory
- Professional Presentation and Oral Argument
- Client-Centered Lawyering
- Attorney/Client Relationship Building
- Team Collaboration
- Lawyering with Interpreters
"FLAC embodied why I chose to become a lawyer. Not only did I gain practical legal skills, I also learned how to counsel, advise and emphasize my clients’ needs and goals. Moreover, I had opportunities to engage with the greater farmworker population and help use the law as a tool to educate and advocate for the community." - Rodrigo Rivera '20
If you have questions about the clinics please contact the clinic office. Your inquiry will be directed to the appropriate clinic.
Villanova University
Charles Widger School of Law
Clinical Program
299 N. Spring Mill Road
Villanova, PA 19085
FLAC Clinic Director: Caitlin Barry, Professor of Law
