In Times of Chaos: Creating Blueprints for Law School Responses to Natural Disasters

• Author: Jeffrey R. Baker - Christine E. Cerniglia - Davida Finger - Luz Herrera - JoNel Newman
• Position: Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Assistant Dean of Clinical Education and Global Programs, Pepperdine School of Law - Director of Clinical and Experiential Education, Stetson University College of Law - Associate Dean of Students and Rene August and Mary Jane Pastorek Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans ...
• Pages: 421-487

Louisiana Law Review Louisiana Law Review

Volume 80

Number 2

Winter 2020

Article 12

4-22-2020

In Times of Chaos: Creating Blueprints for Law School Responses In Times of Chaos: Creating Blueprints for Law School Responses

to Natural Disasters to Natural Disasters

Jeffrey R. Baker

Christine E. Cerniglia

Davida Finger

Luz Herrera

JoNel Newman

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/lalrev

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Repository Citation Repository Citation

Jeffrey R. Baker, Christine E. Cerniglia, Davida Finger, Luz Herrera, and JoNel Newman,

In Times of Chaos:

Creating Blueprints for Law School Responses to Natural Disasters

, 80 La. L. Rev. (2020)

Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/lalrev/vol80/iss2/12

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Reviews and Journals at LSU Law Digital

Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Louisiana Law Review by an authorized editor of LSU Law Digital

Commons. For more information, please contact kreed25@lsu.edu.

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In Times of Chaos: Creating Blueprints for Law

School Responses to Natural Disasters

Jeffrey R. Baker, Christine E. Cerniglia, Davida Finger, Luz

Herrera, and JoNel Newman*

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .................................................................................. 423

I. Assessing Legal Needs and Capacity Post-Disaster..................... 425

A. Social Injustice Is Exacerbated by Natural Disasters ............ 425

B. Identifying Legal Needs in Context .......................................428

C. Assessing Clinic Resources and Capacity ............................. 431

II. The Ecosystem of Agencies, Law, and Resources

After a Natural Disaster................................................................ 434

A. Federal Emergency Management Agency............................. 434

B. State and Local Agencies....................................................... 437

C. The American Bar Association and State Bar

Associations........................................................................... 438

D. Legal Aid ............................................................................... 440

E. Pro Bono Lawyers ................................................................. 442

F. Resources Beyond Legal Needs ............................................ 442

III. Tested Models for Law School and Legal Clinic

Responses to Natural Disasters .................................................... 443

A. Law Schools and Legal Clinics’ Experiences

in Disasters ............................................................................ 443

Copyright 2020, by JEFFREY R. BAKER, CHRISTINE E. CERNIGLIA,

DAVIDA FINGER, LUZ HERRERA, and JONEL NEWMAN.

 Jeffrey R. Baker, Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Assistant Dean of

Clinical Education and Global Programs, Pepperdine School of Law; Christine E.

Cerniglia, Director of Clinical and Experiential Education, Stetson University

College of Law; Davida Finger, Associate Dean of Students and Rene August and

Mary Jane Pastorek Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law, Loyola University

New Orleans School of Law; Luz Herrera, Professor of Law and Associate Dean

for Experiential Education, Texas A&M University School of Law; JoNel

Newman, Professor of Clinical Legal Education and Director of Health Rights

Clinic, University of Miami School of Law. The authors developed this Article

after a 2018 presentation at the AALS Conference on Clinical Legal Education,

in which audience participation inspired the panelists to capture important lessons

learned with recent domestic natural disasters.

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422 LOUISIANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 80

1. Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ............444

a. The Event.................................................................. 444

b. The Response............................................................ 445

c. The Effect in the Community ................................... 445

d. The Outcome ............................................................ 446

e. Lessons Learned ....................................................... 446

i. Post-Disaster Discrimination and

Clinic Pedagogy..................................................... 447

ii. Ethical Volunteering.............................................. 449

2. Pepperdine University School of Law ............................ 452

a. The Event.................................................................. 452

b. The Response............................................................ 453

c. The Effect in the Community ................................... 457

d. The Outcome ............................................................ 457

e. Lessons Learned ....................................................... 458

3. University of Miami School of Law ............................... 459

a. The Event.................................................................. 459

b. The Response............................................................ 460

c. The Effect in the Community ................................... 467

d. The Outcome ............................................................ 467

e. Lessons Learned ....................................................... 469

4. Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center ............. 470

a. The Event.................................................................. 470

b. The Response............................................................ 470

c. The Effect in the Community ................................... 471

d. The Outcome ............................................................ 472

e. Lessons Learned ....................................................... 472

5. Stetson University College of Law ................................. 473

a. The Event.................................................................. 473

b. The Response............................................................ 473

c. The Effect in the Community ................................... 475

d. The Outcome ............................................................ 476

e. Lessons Learned ....................................................... 477

6. Texas A&M University School of Law .......................... 478

a. The Event.................................................................. 478

b. The Response............................................................ 479

c. The Effect in the Community ................................... 480

d. The Outcome ............................................................ 480

e. Lessons Learned ....................................................... 481

B. Paths Not Yet Taken: Potential Future Responses ................ 481

1. Legislative Advocacy ......................................................482

2. Externships ...................................................................... 483