Equality & Justice In-House Clinic

The Equality & Justice In-House Clinic is a training ground for civil rights litigators. The substantive area studied is Section 1983—our nation’s core civil rights statute and the most critical tool we have to hold the government accountable for violating our constitutional rights. Students will learn firsthand how to apply constitutional law and civil rights statutes, how to navigate the procedural barriers that exist for civil rights plaintiffs in court, and how to use the litigation process not just as its own end—but as a tool of pressure and a platform to campaign for policy change. Students complete the clinic learning real litigation skills they can bring to the fight for social justice.

The clinic maintains a docket of impact cases where students will directly litigate federal civil rights challenges. Cases address issue areas such as police and prosecutorial accountability, voting rights, race and poverty discrimination, free speech and protest, and the rights of incarcerated people. Students learn how to design new civil rights cases, conduct discovery, negotiate with opposing counsel, and draft and argue motions in court. Students also have the opportunity to collaborate with experienced co-counsel at civil rights organizations across the country. We encourage students to reflect on the role that our litigation can play in the community and organizer-led campaigns we join. Litigation tasks and substantive areas of law will vary by semester based on the status of cases on the docket. Certain classes will be held jointly with the Equality & Justice Practice Clinic, allowing students to explore shared procedural, strategic, and professional questions across different clinical models.

Khalil v. Columbia University, No. 25-cv-02079-AS (S.D.N.Y. filed: Mar. 13, 2025). This lawsuit is against Columbia University and the Trump Administration for suppression of protected political expression. Find representative student work filed in this case.

Ordonez-Vargas v. Orange County, No. 7:25-cv-00064-PMH (S.D.N.Y. filed: Jan. 3, 2025). This lawsuit challenges Orange County Jail’s pattern and practice of denying critical medical care to incarcerated individuals—and seeks damages for two detained individuals who were denied access to medical care in obvious and deliberate indifference to their serious medical needs. Find representative student work filed in this case here and here.

Secherest v. City of Lexington, No. 3:24-cv-00034 (S.D. Miss. filed: Jan. 20, 2024)      This lawsuit challenges the City of Lexington’s repeated targeting, harassing, unlawful detention, and physical assault of dozens of Black residents in Lexington, Mississippi. Find representative student work filed in this case.

McWashington v. Rodgers, No. 4:24-cv-02153 (S.D. Tex. filed: June 10, 2024). This lawsuit is on behalf of a Black resident of Houston who sat unarmed in his car during a routine traffic stop as police drew their guns and later unleashed their K9 unit to attack him—in violation of the Fourth Amendment right against excessive force.

Plaintiffs 1-3 v. City of New York, No. 1:25-cv-02397 (E.D.N.Y. filed: Apr. 30, 2025): This lawsuit challenges NYPD’s practice of disparately criminalizing and targeting thousands of Black and Latino New Yorkers by placing their names on a “Criminal Group Database” based solely on their race and absent any evidence that they have engaged in criminal activity.

In Federal Court, CUNY Law Clinic Students Take on a Defining First Amendment Fight, CUNY LAW (May 13, 2026), https://www.law.cuny.edu/newsroom_post/in-federal-court-cuny-law-clinic-students-take-on-a-defining-first-amendment-fight/

Students Can Sue Columbia and Trump for Colluding to Stamp Out Pro-Palestine Speech, HELL

GATE (Mar. 24, 2026), https://hellgatenyc.com/students-can-sue-columbia-and-trump-for-colluding-to-stamp-out-pro-palestine-speech/

Trump Admin, Columbia Must Face Student Speech Claims, LAW360 (Mar. 19, 2026),

https://www.law360.com/articles/2455470/trump-admin-columbia-must-face-student-speechclaims

“Building concrete litigation skills through the Equality & Justice In-House Clinic has allowed our team to successfully fight for the rights of our clients locally while uplifting the national struggle to uphold the Constitutional rights of all people.” – Natasha Bunten 

“As I head into the field, I know this clinic has refined my approach to legal research and writing, while bolstering my confidence as an advocate” – Jacob Acuña

“This clinic […] illuminated the complexities and nuances of civil litigation while strengthening my ability to work collaboratively on a legal team. Through a client-centered approach to lawyering, I became a more effective writer and am confident in my development into an adept attorney.” – Trevor Godbolt