Cynthea E. Geerdes
Clinical Professor
The Transactions and Community Economic Development (TCED) Clinic strives to promote the health and welfare of Illinois residents and their communities. It is part of the community-oriented lawyering movement in which lawyers and community leaders use the law as one of many tools in a larger strategy for solving problems.
The TCED Clinic trains students in the law, skills, and ethics of community lawyering, providing free legal services to individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations that cannot afford to pay a lawyer. This Clinic focuses on fighting poverty and promoting economic justice for all segments of society by using a wide variety of problem-solving tools such as advocacy, legislation, research, and litigation, as well as collaboration and cooperation. Clinic students also help to start and grow small businesses and not-for-profit corporations, dispute credit fraud and identity theft, fight predatory lending, and develop positive alternatives to high-cost credit.
For nonprofit organizations, Clinic students draft articles of incorporation, bylaws, and contracts, apply for federal tax-exemption for those organizations, and perform consulting and training for their boards of directors. The Clinic also counsels debt-stressed individuals, and seeks bankruptcy protection for them when appropriate.
In addition, the Clinic further participates in local, state, and national projects regarding asset accumulation, the promotion of savings, and the regulation of high-cost loan products such as payday loans and predatory home equity loans. This effort includes filing litigation against financial institutions.
The TCED Clinic emphasizes learning, helping people, and having fun while maintaining the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. Students in this Clinic learn substantive law as well as develop entrepreneurial skills in the service of economic justice.
Spring 2006 Newsletter (pdf)
"This Clinic is very thorough in determining what a client needs. I don't
think we get many abuse cases — deadbeats, or people who don't want to pay their bills.
They worked hard all their lives and have found that they just cannot go on."
— Rebecca Parkhurst '04
"I believe that the second chance — and sometimes third chance — that our
clients get by virtue of the representation they receive from the Clinic may be
sufficient to help them learn from their past mistakes and become independent
members of society."
— Carl Larson '05
"Our property tax appeal client came to us looking for help. I am proud to
say that we have given them the best legal representation possible."
— Era Laudermilk '05
