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Clinics and Experiential Programs
Photo of South Royalton by Jim Eaton.

Land Use Clinic

Vermont is a leader in the land use world, using multiple strategies to encourage vibrant downtowns, local economy, stewardship of working landscapes and natural resource systems. The problems involved in maintaining this landscape are myriad and endemic to rural communities nationwide. The Land Use Clinic gives students the opportunity to address these issues locally, regionally and nationally.

Projects are selected based on their ability to provide students substantive learning opportunities. Projects include the development of training materials, draft legislation, statutory research and community presentations. Students attend weekly seminars to discuss projects, research strategies, professional and ethical considerations and community partnerships. In the fall or spring semesters, student clinicians earn six credits for part-time enrollment in the Land Use Clinic. In the summer, students can enroll in the clinic for four credits toward their JD or MELP.

Land Use Clinic Projects must meet one or more of the following goals:

  • to encourage compact settlement in rural villages
  • to maintain the vitality of historic downtowns
  • to maintain a viable working landscape by, for example, supporting sustainable agriculture and forestry operations
  • to mitigate negative human impacts
  • to plan for healthy natural resource systems
  • to improve the quality of the land use plans, regulations, and decision-making processes at state and local levels
  • to improve the capacity of volunteer rural land use decision-makers

Projects

Learn about some of the projects Vermont Law School's Land Use Clinic works on.

Publications

The Land Use Clinic produces a variety of training materials and publications for their clients. Here are a few highlights.

Faculty and Staff

Meet the faculty from Vermont Law School's Land Use Clinic.

Student Clinicians

Eight qualified students are selected for the spring and fall semesters for participation in Vermont Law School's Land Use Clinic.

Contact

Contact information for the Land Use Clinic at Vermont Law School.