New 'UR Downtown' campus will serve the community

“University of Richmond Downtown,” a satellite campus of more than 4,500 square feet, is scheduled to open soon.

UR Downtown will be a hub for community-based service, learning, research and collaboration with nonprofit and government partners. Located at East Broad and 7th Streets, it will house three programs: the Richmond Families Initiative, the Center for Pro Bono Service and the Family Law Clinic.

It will address pressing community needs through a combination of pro bono legal services provided by law students and attorneys and community-based learning, service and research by undergraduates and faculty.

UR Downtown resulted from campus collaborations and partnerships with others in Richmond, including Virginia Commonwealth University. Richmond School of Law and the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) jointly developed the plan to meet the needs of underserved citizens.

“University of Richmond Downtown is an exciting and vital expansion of our local partnerships,” said President Edward Ayers. “Having a space downtown allows the whole University to offer programs and build on our connections with alumni and other local citizens and leaders. The initiative is a wonderful collaboration among the University’s academic programs, generous supporters and long-time allies in the community.”

UR Downtown will be located in an historic building—the former Franklin Federal Savings & Loan—across from the newly renovated National Theater and the new federal courthouse. The Wilton Companies is donating use of the building and renovation, which will be certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as a green building with minimal environmental impact.

Rich Johnson, president and CEO of the Wilton Companies and a Richmond trustee, said, “We are pleased to be able to support UR’s efforts to enable its students and faculty to use its resources to serve our community.”

The Richmond Families Initiative (RFI) will build partnerships with family-service agencies working in the city. Under the leadership of CCE program manager Judy Mejia, faculty members and undergraduate students will conduct research and analyze programs run by the agencies. The agencies will use the information to enhance their effectiveness and develop new programs. In turn, undergraduates will learn from agency leaders and their clients.

“The University aims to share intellectual resources to support our community partners,” said Doug Hicks, CCE executive director. “In the big picture, our common work aspires to improve the quality of life for Richmond’s citizens.”

The Harry L. Carrico Center for Pro Bono Service pairs local attorneys and UR law students to provide legal help to clients.

“We are pleased to be working with our community partners including the YWCA of Greater Richmond, the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, the Richmond Bar Association and the Virginia Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s Division,” said Tara L. Casey, center director. “These programs also allow us to draw from the strong network of law school alumni and other attorneys practicing in the Richmond region.”

The Family Law Clinic is a multidisciplinary project of the law school and Virginia Commonwealth University. Dale Margolin, assistant clinical professor of law, will direct the program and teach the initial family law clinic. Up to 10 law students per year will represent clients, while VCU graduate students in social work and psychology will ensure they receive comprehensive legal, psychological, counseling and social work services. The law clinic has been supported by a grant from the Lipman Foundation.

“This is the law school’s first multidisciplinary clinic, and it will give students the opportunity to be trained with other professionals who often play a pivotal role in family law matters,” said law school Dean John Douglass. “We are grateful to the generous donors who have made it possible for us to provide these essential services for our neighbors, and we look forward to being part of the University’s still deeper engagement in the city and the region through UR Downtown.”