UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State will open its new Office of Student Legal Services on March 29, under the direction of attorney Carolyn M. Larrabee.
“We are pleased to welcome Carolyn into this new position and are grateful for her expertise in handling student legal concerns,” said Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs. “We especially want to thank the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), under the leadership of Gavin Keirans, for advocating the creation of this student service. In addition, we are grateful to the Student Activity Fee Board, which voted to allocate funding to support the operations of the office.”
“UPUA has been leading the effort to have concrete legal services established at Penn State,” said Keirans, UPUA president. “It’s gratifying to know that this important service for students is now available.”
The Office of Student Legal Services, a unit in the Division of Student Affairs, will provide advice, counsel and representation to University Park students regarding personal legal concerns, such as landlord-tenant issues and minor criminal offenses, as well as referral services for other legal issues. The office will not represent students in cases in conflict with the University or involving another student.
“My goal for the office is to provide students with quality legal advice and representation in as efficient a manner as possible,” Larrabee said. “I look forward to working with Penn State students to help them navigate the legal process.”
Prior to her arrival at Penn State, Larrabee was a Centre County assistant district attorney for four years and also served as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. David E. Grine of the Centre County Court of Common Pleas. She is a 2002 graduate of Dickinson College in and a 2004 graduate of Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law, both in Carlisle, Pa.
The Office of Student Legal Services, housed at 135 Boucke Building, will be open during regular business hours. Students wishing to utilize the office’s services are asked to stop by the office to complete an intake form.
Jill Shockey, Penn State University