Legal Services Center Moves

The Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School moved last week to a new location in Jamaica Plain, said Dean of the Law School Robert C. Clark.

The center provides free civil legal services for the low-income area residents while offering legal training for the 75 law school students who work there, said Cheryl A. Burg, director of the center.

Both law school students and administrators said they were pleased with the new building and location.

"They were quite worried that it wouldn't be ready on time, but it was," Clark said. "It's not just an expansion of space, but an expansion of the activity," he said.

The larger facility will enable approximately 25 more students to do clinical work at the center, according to Clark.

Purchase of the newly renovated facility was made possible by a $2 million gift by the Boston law firm of Hale and Dorr.

"It's a very generous arrangement," said Burg. "We are very appreciative to Hale and Dorr and the law school."

The move to the new building demonstrates the long-term commitment of the law school to its clinical program and the commitment of the program to the community, said Daniel L. Greenberg, director of clinical programs at the law school.

"It's an important and exciting thing. It is also indicative of the relationship between the private bar and the clinical services program," Greenberg said.

But the center could lose clients as a result of the change of address, according to Brian A. Glasser, a second-year law student.

"The obvious difficulty is that we can lose track of clients, because not all of our clients have phone numbers and permanent addresses," Glasser said. "A new location can lead to short-term problems."

Many clients seek counsel on a walk-in basis and might not be aware of the change of address, he said.

Glasser did say, however, that the center has sent its clients letters and has tried to inform as many people as possible about the move.

And he said benefits from the new location would outweigh such potential problems.

"This place is the Taj Mahal," he said. "This place is beautiful. It's a real legal office. And it's in a better location for both students and clients right by the T station.

"The obvious difficulty is that we can lose track of clients, because not all of our clients have phone numbers and permanent addresses," Glasser said. "A new location can lead to short-term problems."

Many clients seek counsel on a walk-in basis and might not be aware of the change of address, he said.

Glasser did say, however, that the center has sent its clients letters and has tried to inform as many people as possible about the move.

And he said benefits from the new location would outweigh such potential problems.

"This place is the Taj Mahal," he said. "This place is beautiful. It's a real legal office. And it's in a better location for both students and clients right by the T station.