Clinical Programs

Community & Economic Development Clinic (IH, E)

The Community & Economic Development Clinic (CED) is an in-house clinic that provides legal support for community-led groups organizing for racial, economic, and social justice through two main practice areas: economic democracy and housing justice and tenant power. Our economic democracy work focuses on workplace democracy and the redistribution of wealth and power by working with groups like worker-owned cooperatives, community land trusts, and grassroots nonprofits on issues such as entity-type counseling, legal formation, governance, contracts, tax exemption, employment, and other organizational operational issues. Our Housing Justice and Tenant Power supports housing justice organizations that are fighting for enhanced protections, rights, and benefits for tenants, including good cause eviction, collective bargaining rights, and social housing. CEDC student interns work on law and policy reform projects and assist tenant associations in litigation for essential repairs.

CLEAR Clinic (IH, 2S)

The CLEAR Clinic supports clients, communities, and movements who wish to contest the various expressions of the sprawling U.S. security state. Because it puts movement lawyering theories into practice, student attorneys not only engage in litigation – civil, criminal, and immigration – on behalf of clients, but they also support movements organizing for social and racial justice, and facilitate rights awareness workshops.

Defenders Clinic (IH, E)

The Defenders Clinic (DEF) students share a mission to end mass incarceration by gaining knowledge and first-hand experience in areas such as criminal court representation, parole preparation and appeals, clemency petitions, and other forms of post-conviction relief. **Note that Defenders Clinic is not eligible for registration. You must be currently enrolled in the Defenders Lawyering Seminar III to qualify and will automatically be enrolled.

Disability Rights and Social Justice Clinic (IH)

The Disability Rights and Social Justice Clinic (DRSJC) is an in-house clinic where students advocate to enhance and promote the civil rights, autonomy, and self-determination of individuals with disabilities through direct client representation, civil rights litigation, appellate advocacy, and policy and community-based, rights-awareness initiatives. DRSJ Clinic students are exposed to the complexity of disability rights and its intersections in the fight for social justice. Students have represented clients in areas that include prisoners’ rights, protecting sexual and reproductive autonomy, challenging discriminatory practices in housing, immigration policy, the family regulation system, access to medical care, and eligibility for community-based services.

Equality & Justice Clinic (IH, PC)

The Equality & Justice Clinic (EJPC) is designed to give students the tools they need to fight and win civil rights victories both in and beyond court. Offered as an in-house clinic with direct client representation and a practice clinic with externship placements, the Equality & Justice Clinic trains students in strategic litigation and advocacy. Students will learn how to design new civil rights cases, conduct discovery and argue motions in court, and will join campaigns that seek to dismantle systems of injustice.

Family Law Practice Clinic

The Family Law Practice Clinic (FLPC) is a practice clinic that places students in externships at organizations representing a variety of clients, including domestic violence survivors of all ages, LGBTQI+ persons, incarcerated and/or immigrant parents, as well as children and youth in various proceedings addressing abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, immigration, civil matters, and educational concerns.

Family Defense Clinic (IH)

The Family Defense Clinic (FDC) is an in-house clinic where students work closely with families impacted by the family policing – or child welfare – system. Through our Early Defense project, FDC students are at the forefront of innovative law practice representing parents in family policing investigations; students also represent parents in court proceedings involving abuse or neglect charges, in administrative proceedings challenging parents’ inclusion on a statewide register, and in appellate and federal civil rights litigation. FDC students also collaborate with community and movement organizations to build and support rights awareness campaigns, legislative action, and broader accountability.

Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic (IH, 2S)

The Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic (INRC) is an in-house clinic that empowers emerging social justice lawyers to confront the degradation of the rights of non-citizens through legal representation where we press for progressive, humane and fair interpretations of the law on behalf of those most excluded, marginalized, and criminalized—as well as through policy and advocacy projects in partnership with community-based organizations.

Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic (IH, 2S)

The Human Rights and Gender Justice (HRGJ) Clinic is an in-house clinic where students work to advance gender justice in the U.S. and around the world using human rights law to combat gender discrimination, gender-based violence, reproductive oppression and criminalization of survivors of trafficking before international and regional human rights bodies and national and local courts and legal institutions.

Mediation Clinic (IH, E)

The Mediation Clinic (MED) is an in-house clinic where students serve as mediators in a range of settings, which usually includes court-annexed and EEOC mediation programs involving disputes such as workplace discrimination claims, disability issues, as well as family, neighbor, and consumer disputes.