290A sec. 001 - Policy Advocacy Clinic Seminar (Fall 2023)
Instructor: Stephanie Lian Campos-Bui (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only | profile)
Instructor: Rachel Wallace (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
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Units: 2
Grading Designation: Credit Only
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meeting:
W 3:35 PM - 5:25 PM
Location: Law 140
From August 23, 2023
To November 29, 2023
Course End: November 29, 2023
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 14
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 14
As of: 02/07 02:03 PM
In the Policy Advocacy Clinic, interdisciplinary teams of law and public policy students pursue creative, non-litigation strategies to address systemic racial and economic injustice. The clinic’s approach is ground-up (informed by impacted people), problem-based (addressing pressing issues), and client-driven (accountable to community organizations).
Current projects are focused on abolishing racialized wealth extraction in the criminal legal system, with a special emphasis on ending harm to youth in the juvenile system. Students support state and local abolition campaigns while exploring their capacities and limits to influence law and public policy. A multi-year campaign to end juvenile fines and fees nationally may require clinic-funded travel outside of California (if travel is permitted).
In the clinic, students learn substantive law and policy skills. You will interview clients and experts, conduct legal and social science research and analysis, consult stakeholders (community members, policy and advocacy organizations, public officials, academics), file public records requests, and participate in state and local abolition campaigns.
On behalf of clients and partners, students complete written assignments, including draft legislation, rules, and policies; internal work product such as legal, policy, and fiscal memos; and external work product for public dissemination, such as fact sheets, policy briefs, research reports, and know your rights materials.
Students will also hone their oral advocacy skills by preparing, mooting, and delivering testimony and public comment to a variety of audiences, including city councils, county boards of supervisors, regulatory bodies, and state legislatures.
The enrollment target is 10-12 JD students and 10-12 MPP students to work on project teams. Returning students may serve as senior mentors on teams. There are no prerequisites. Prior experience working for racial and economic justice may be taken into consideration, and the instructors are committed to an equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist environment.
Because of project demands, first-time clinic students may not enroll concurrently in another clinic or field placement. Enrollment in the seminar (2 credits) and clinic (4-9 credits) is by permission of the instructors. Interested students should apply here: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/forms/clinics/clinical_application.php.
Attendance at the first class is mandatory for all currently enrolled and waitlisted students; any currently enrolled or waitlisted students who are not present on the first day of class (without prior permission of the instructor) will be dropped. The instructor will continue to take attendance throughout the add/drop period and anyone who moves off the waitlist into the class must continue to attend or have prior permission of the instructor in order not to be dropped.
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Exam Notes: (None) Class requires a series of papers, assignments, or presentations throughout the semester
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: Clinics
This course is listed in the following sub-categories:
Race and Law
Social Justice and Public Interest
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Readers:
No reader.
Books:
Instructor has indicated that no books will be assigned.