News

MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA — Some families who lost their homes in the flooding that devastated southern West Virginia last summer are facing another housing disaster: rent-to-own scams.

In an effort to rebuild their lives, many flood victims are being enticed to rent houses that have a purchase option at the end of the lease, according to Priya Baskaran , director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic (EILC) at the West Virginia University College of Law.

“Rent-to-own situations have been cheating families into believing they are buying their home,” she said.

According to Baskaran, rent-to-own agreements are marketed to families who do not qualify for traditional home loans because of income requirements, poor credit or because they can’t afford the down payment.

MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA — In the days leading up to and following the 2016 Presidential Election, regional and national media outlets have sought insight and analysis from several WVU College of Law professors:

Valarie Blake , associate professor of law

James Van Nostrand , Professor of Law

Anne Marie Lofaso , Arthur B. Hodges Professor of Law

Scholarship by 3L Jennifer L. Bauer has been published by an international human rights organization.

The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) published Bauer’s “ Data Brokers and Human Rights – Big Data, Big Business” in November as part of its Occasional Paper Series.

In the article, Bauer explores the impact personal data collection and the responsibilities of firms that collect, store, process and share that data.

Bauer, who is earning a JD with an international law concentration, became interested in data privacy issues after working on an article for the West Virginia Law Review . 

MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA—The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic (EILC) at the West Virginia University College of Law is going to provide legal support and educational services in Charleston, West Virginia. 

The EILC recently signed an agreement with Legal Aid of West Virginia to collaborate on the West Side Economic Development Project (WSEDP) in the state capital.

WSEDP is designed to increase the capabilities of local businesses, community organizations, nonprofit organizations, and entrepreneurs.  Law students in the EILC will produce legal education materials to assist WSEDP’s economic development efforts.

“Small businesses and community organizations are an important part of the economic backbone of the state,” said Priya Baskaran , director of the EILC. “Our plan for this pilot project is to create a healthy system of legal services to support entrepreneurs and organizations, helping communities build wealth from within.”