Social Justice and Public Interest

Before the Movement explores how Black people worked within the laws of property, contracts, and more to assert their rights — even while other parts of the legal system offered discrimination, hostility, and violence.

Bonta says law students and young lawyers “have the agency, power, and authority to make our world better, and in many ways you’ve already done that.”

The Class of 2026 recently arrived on campus with some impressive metrics, and other numbers fill out a deeper story. 

With an eye on aligning student enthusiasm with some of Berkeley Law’s strongest offerings, the Admissions Office is repackaging some gift aid into a new set of scholarships.

The Plaintiffs’ Law Association has 200 members and is a leader in a national law school trend. 

With the U.S. now a patchwork of state systems with immense variety and harsh consequences for those in restrictive states, the center ramps back up to develop strategic initiatives. 

Tiffani V. Williams ’04 is now one of Washington, D.C.’s top lobbyists, with a deep commitment to broadening access. 

Over five days in Jordan, center staff and the International Center for Transitional Justice taught a 49-member delegation how to navigate digital open source investigations of human rights violations.

Fraser Muir LL.M. ’19 and a crew of J.D. and LL.M. students crafted a how-to guide to give immigrants a shot at working their cases on their own.

Providing tuition, fees, academic support, and mentoring for remarkable first-generation students like Alleyah Caesar ’24, the program has become a vital part of the school’s landscape.

Daniel Yost ’98 and his husband Paul Brody launch the Sacramento Briefing Series to help our Center for Law, Energy & the Environment bring quality research to California policymakers.

From intellectual property adapting to AI creations to emerging concerns in corporate law and reproductive justice efforts, Berkeley Law brings students to the forefront of timely topics.

Boyd has relished an eye-opening summer working for Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker with the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.

Committed to strengthening the intersection of law and media, Patel-Martin brings vast international experience and abundant energy to help serve that goal at Berkeley Law.

The twin economic tremors of the pandemic and recent bank failures have helped raise his public profile and influence through op-eds, media coverage, and service on two state commissions.

Arthur Fine ’67 and his surgeon wife coordinate and co-lead surgical missions to help alleviate medical suffering around the developing world. 

In a new book, Berkeley Law Clinical Program Director Laura Riley delves into how to be a legal advocate for people experiencing homelessness. 

Alumni connections led Tam to a partnership run by to the Jessica Vapnek ’91, faculty director of the International Development Law Center at UC College of the Law, San Francisco.

Working at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Davis has taken on several projects to help low-income clients, address police misconduct, and provide social service assistance.

Berkeley Law’s Death Penalty Clinic creates video to request clemency for a longtime client facing execution — a new strategy for the clinic.

Our stellar early-career professors are making their mark across a wide swath of academic fields.

Hollis works to connect Law Students of African Descent students with alumni and faculty mentors, and is a mentor herself for fellows with the Startup Law Initiative.

Students worked with Bay Area Afghan evacuees, under the supervision of attorneys from Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay, to help them submit their asylum applications.

Former San Francisco district attorney Chesa Boudin to pursue meaningful change as the founding executive director of Berkeley Law’s new Criminal Law & Justice Center.

Honored at the annual public interest and pro bono graduation ceremony, the recipients exemplify Berkeley Law’s far-reaching work to help disadvantaged people and communities.

The new Berkeley Law alums land top positions at law firms, judicial clerkships, public defender offices, nonprofits, government agencies, and military units. 

Cirelli is the youngest member of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake’s five-person Constitutional Review Committee and its only law student.

She’ll spend the fall semester in Germany working on a project about failure of international human rights law to adequately address the treatment of soldiers by their states.

Separated from her sister in Mexico, César is on Hispanic Executive’s 30 Under 30 list for her wide-ranging work to benefit immigrant, Latinx, and BIPOC communities.

A Berkeley Law symposium highlights barriers to officer accountability and victims’ access to the courts, including police department culture and dubious causes of death given by medical examiners.

Part of the Pro Bono Program, the Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trips offer a school-funded opportunity to offer legal help to people in need.

Presented by Military Veterans at Berkeley Law, the event raised awareness of concerning issues and bolstered connections between veteran students and alumni and their supporters.

From co-leading our business law journal and Catholic affinity group to helping renters secure key housing rights, Whitthorne has made the most of his Berkeley Law experience.

Thomas von Danwitz gives Berkeley Law’s annual Irving G. Tragen Lecture on Comparative Law, takes part in a panel on data privacy, and visits our “Borderlines” podcast.

Expert leaders dedicated to top-rate client representation and student training help the clinic become a national leader in serving people facing capital punishment.

The executive director of Berkeley Law’s California Constitution Center leads the agency that studies problem areas in state law and proposes reforms, over 90% of which become law.

Perry assesses the Respect for Marriage Act, and how his family’s experience with the marriage equality issue fueled his interest in Berkeley Law and career aspirations.

In just its second year, Clean Energy Leaders in Law brings together students with diverse interests in energy and environmental law and policy. 

U.S. District Court Judges Sarala Nagala ’08 and Adrienne Nelson describe the inner workings of their judicial chambers and what they look for in prospective clerks. 

Overcoming incarceration, homelessness, and hunger, Hensley has made the most of a California State University program that helps people reintegrate into the education system.

She aims to reduce gun violence and mass incarceration while rooting out racial, socioeconomic, and gender disparities within the county’s criminal legal system.

As Ukrainian law enforcement officials and NGOs prepare for war crimes trials, their efforts to collect evidence are guided by digital-age legal standards developed at Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center.

Holding its annual gala Feb. 24, the Dale Minami ’71 Public Interest Fellowship connects API alumni, honors deserving graduates, provides financial support to deserving lawyers, and more.

Antonio Ingram II ’14, Allina Amuchie ’13, Tyler Garvey ’14, and Shanita Farris ’16 credit the student group for pivotal support, networking, and community.

The Asian American Law Journal at Berkeley Law event welcomed prominent attorneys who helped gain a measure of justice for Japanese Americans sent to internment camps during World War II.

Library staff are moving books, periodicals, and other materials that cover America’s Indigenous people to their own place on the shelves. 

Violent videos should be viewed with care, says Alexa Koenig, a faculty expert on psychological trauma and resiliency at Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center.

They’re on board at the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, Berkeley Center for Law and Business, Human Rights Center, and Center for Law and Work.

Responsible for conducting and supervising all Supreme Court litigation on behalf of the United States, Elizabeth Prelogar offers savvy advice for the law school’s future litigators.

Privacy experts Catherine Crump and Rebecca Wexler take on key posts with the White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Office of Science Technology Policy, respectively.

A whopping 18 courses are available to Berkeley Law students for the first time this semester, including 3 focused on emerging areas in the corporate sector.

The Berkeley Law alum calls the honor “major recognition that what I’ve been doing exemplifies the values of UC Berkeley.”

Twelve Pack: A dozen Berkeley Law homepage stories from 2022 that illustrate the school’s excellence, community, and public mission.

Selected to discuss their work at the recent event in Miami, where the vast majority of presenters were faculty scholars, “is a big deal,” says Professor Katerina Linos.

The current U.S. Supreme Court majority, Bridges argues, only remedies racism against people of color when it encounters something that resembles the pre-civil rights era, from poll taxes to eugenics.

Obasogie and UC Berkeley School of Public Health Professor Darlene Francis hold a casual but frank conversation about how their field can improve. 

The book project was an intellectual as well as a physical journey for Abrams, who needed to add new skills to her research toolbox to pull it off.

A whopping 106 Berkeley Law students are participating in the program this semester, the most in Director Sue Schechter’s 16 years at the school.

The changes will enable more public interest-minded graduates to access the program, receive increased funding, and spend less of their own money on student loan expenses.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights recently considered the 2010 fatal beating of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, thanks to years of work from the International Human Rights Law Clinic. 

Hailing from 41 countries, 246 students bring a vast array of experiences and perspectives to the school from across the globe.

Berkeley Law’s growing Clinical Program adds 14 new hires to further its mission and train more students.

Hewlett tells Berkeley Law students, “Don’t hesitate to make the change you want to see, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, and don’t be afraid to dream big.”

They’re working with an alliance of legal aid organizations, immigration law experts, a former judge, and affected veterans, under the supervision of Lecturer Rose Carmen Goldberg. 

With a long track record of working to protect election integrity, Wayment has elevated her advocacy for a more representative democracy while at Berkeley Law.

The student group Arts & Innovation Representation kicks off the platform with episodes addressing music sampling, international restitution, and COVID-19’s impact on live theater.

The court’s opinion closely followed the arguments by Ninth Circuit Practicum students Nicole Conrad ’22 and Joya Manjur ’22 and has powerful potential for other asylum seekers.  

The new offerings include Environmental Justice and Health Equity, Environmental Justice and Advocacy in California, and Environmental Health Law Through Film.

The Our Better Web initiative examines how the prevalence of deceptive and exploitative content threatens the health of communities and U.S. democracy.

The faculty director of Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center continues to help people worldwide search for an answer to the agonizing question, Where is my child?

“We can get loud, do the work, and continue to show up, even when it’s hard,” Jade Williams ’24 says. 

The Policy Advocacy Clinic is tackling restitution, a financial charge which saddles people with lifelong debt, adding to its nationwide work eliminating juvenile legal system fees and fines.

A change in leadership of Berkeley Law’s clinics arrives as the surging program adds faculty and plans to add more clinics.

Now a visiting scholar with Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center, Qazizada is part of a unique program that brings threatened Afghan scholars to the Bay Area.

Titus founded the Whistleblower Anti-Bullying Resource Network (WARN), which helps whistleblowers, survivors of workplace bullying and harassment, and people who have experienced police abuse.

Chair of the California Privacy Protection Agency, Urban illuminated the arc of privacy awareness — and importance — to Americans amid technology’s expanding reach.

Galbreath is general counsel at Bitwise Industries, which builds tech economies in underestimated cities and helps marginalized people access opportunities in the industry.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing many states to end or sharply curtail abortion rights will have profoundly harmful effects on those who are forced to continue unwanted pregnancies and on democracy itself, says Berkeley Law scholar.

Key research by Berkeley Law’s Death Penalty Clinic is helping courts and state legislatures tackle racial discrimination in jury selection across the country.

Having grown up in a poor area near the Florida-Alabama border, Bradley is relishing the chance to give back to his community.

IHRLC co-directors Roxanna Altholz and Laurel E. Fletcher and clinical students help the Fundación Para la Justicia file a criminal complaint against the Mexican attorney general’s office for illegal surveillance, among other assistance.

Navigating a new regulatory frontier, Patel works with everyone from growers to licensing agencies, dispensary owners to police officers, nonprofit leaders to city administrators.

Four Berkeley Law professors, including Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, discuss the court’s anticipated conservative decisions on some of America’s most divisive issues.

This year’s award recipients stand out among extraordinary individual and collective commitment across the legal landscape to improve people’s lives.

Samuelson Clinic student Jennifer Sun ’23 and supervising attorney Megan Graham argue for more public access to surveillance records requests in Minnesota federal court.

The law school will cover the Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition, which makes up the bulk of a student’s cost, for eligible students using existing financial aid dollars.

A Berkeley Law student-led project details the legal mechanisms used by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s regime to exert increasing control over the arts.

Graduating with pro bono honors for her work with the Post-Conviction Advocacy Project, Garcia strives to understand the root causes of why people commit certain crimes.

Berkeley Law professors Russell Robinson and Sonia Katyal weigh in on the rise of measures across the U.S. aimed at limiting these groups’ rights.

Tijani leaned on the training and entrepreneurial spirit she gained at Berkeley Law in launching Firm for the Culture.

Atkinson says she’s thrilled to get the award, which recognizes an early-career academic who shares Ginsburg’s passion for justice.

A recent celebration of 39 works that probe compelling issues across and beyond the legal landscape highlights the faculty’s far-reaching expertise. 

Students logged more than 28,000 collective pro bono hours last year, and about 95% of 1Ls have done pro bono work this year.

Obasogie says he is “thrilled and grateful” to be one of this year’s 180 recipients of the prestigious fellowship.

Having fueled the resurgence of student activism in his native country, Yang relishes advancing his advocacy skills during his year in Berkeley.

Deputy director of Berkeley Law’s Policy Advocacy Clinic, Campos-Bui is honored for her impactful work on the effects of criminal legal system fees and fines.

A three-part forum organized by law and public policy students highlighted some of the work needed to make change.

Arsen Kulyk and Dmytro Tymoshchenko, both experienced Ukrainian attorneys, are providing support for refugees and military operations.

Berkeley Law student Nahlee Lin plays a pivotal role in creating the new policy-driven repository.

“This requirement sends an important message about our school’s commitment to equality and justice,” says Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.

Renowned panelists, including former Fox News hosts Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, offer guidance for litigators, advisors, investigators, and HR professionals.

Berkeley Law’s dean says the theme for his one-year term — how law schools can make a difference — is driven by the urgency of society’s problems.

In his four-plus years, Berkeley Law has expanded its financial aid, faculty ranks, clinical offerings, student diversity, and expenditures for students pursuing public interest careers.

The Samuelson Clinic’s Megan Graham has trained more than 1,000 public defenders in three years on how to litigate cutting-edge technology issues.

Four Berkeley Law students detail their memorable experience and how it shaped their career  trajectory. 

A Berkeley Law graduate, professor, and two students team up to help a domestic violence victim and improve California law. 

Journalist Khwaga Ghani is the first fellow in an ambitious program to support Afghan refugees, co-sponsored by Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center.

The International Human Rights Law Clinic found 225 credible incidents of online freedom of expression violations against human rights defenders. 

The gift from Ruth Greenspan Bell ’67 and her husband Joseph Bell will fund scholarships and programming at Berkeley Law’s environmental law and social justice centers.

Professors Katerina Linos, Steven Davidoff Solomon, Abbye Atkinson, Elisabeth Semel, Laurel E. Fletcher, and Jeffrey Selbin are honored for their contributions to scholarship and legal education. 

A panel of Berkeley Law and UCLA professors describe what the theory entails, misinformation surrounding it, why it has become a target.

The Human Rights Center at Berkeley Law and the Investigative Reporting Program at Berkeley Journalism have launched the country’s first investigative reporting course using open source intelligence (OSINT) at a university.

An elite panel of Berkeley scholars will explore how to limit the damage of disinformation — or whether that’s even possible.

Given annually to a recent Berkeley Law graduate, the fellowship at UC Legal offers valuable experience in issues faced by public and nonprofit entities.

Berkeley Law’s flourishing program welcomes eight supervising attorneys and three teaching fellows to help expand project capacity and learning opportunities. 

Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and a panel of experts analyzed how the doctrine has evolved, and how changing it could increase accountability for officers and other government officials. 

The initiative selects students admitted to top law schools to work in the public sector for a year before starting their legal education. 

Led by Afghan refugees who are also alumnae, the initiative will help Afghans seeking to leave the country and preserve evidence of human rights abuses committed by the Taliban.

Among the Berkeley Law students who enjoyed rewarding summer work, Diarra found a great fit at Accountability Counsel, which helps communities harmed by internationally financed projects.

A whopping 17 offerings are available to students this semester that count toward Berkeley Law’s race and law certificate.

Berkeley Law’s Policy Advocacy Clinic leads the way in abolishing harmful juvenile fees nationwide, with five states eliminating fees this year alone.

Berkeley Law alumnus Stuart K. Gardiner ’73 provides funding to help the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment identify, analyze, and elevate new climate solutions.

The Student Association of Berkeley Law’s incoming co-president relishes her time as a judicial extern for Chief Justice Steven González ’91.

Professor Osagie K. Obasogie aims to build bridges between the law school and the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, where he has been a professor since 2016. 

Two graduates play leading roles at the States United Democracy Center, which works to advance free, fair, and secure elections.

With nearly 80 million refugees and displaced people worldwide, the school’s wide-ranging research identifies core concerns and sensible solutions.

The gift, from Professor Pamela Samuelson and her husband, Robert Glushko, creates the Robert Glushko Clinical Professor of Practice in Technology Law. 

VanSickle was the lead reporter of a year-long investigation, conducted by four organizations, into the harms caused by police dog bites.

Chacón, who specializes in immigration and constitutional law, and education scholar Glater further bolster a faculty on the rise, with nearly two dozen hires in recent years. 

The documentary, which airs May 31, unpacks the horrific events that killed at least 39 people and destroyed a thriving Black district — and how they were nearly erased from history.

A dozen Berkeley Law community members, including nine students, are honored for their exemplary efforts providing legal help. 

Students, faculty, and alumni reflect on the remarkable life of Reynoso, the first Latinx justice on the California Supreme Court and a revered civil rights advocate.

Dean Erwin Chemerinsky moderated a discussion with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and civil rights lawyer Connie Rice about what needs reform. 

Six determined groups of students participated in this year’s Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trips, working with grassroots groups from Appalachia to Hawai’i.

Chancellor Carol Christ, hailing the Berkeley Law professor’s work and commitment to truth, reform, and justice, says Zimring “embodies the very best” of the university.

The Education Advocacy Clinic at Berkeley Law’s East Bay Community Law Center provided key legal counsel to assist the Black Organizing Project’s determined, successful effort.

A longtime leader in Berkeley Law’s tech-law clinic and center, Urban will help the innovative agency protect consumers’ privacy rights over their personal information. 

Members of the student-led Political and Election Empowerment Project worked to ensure underrepresented populations don’t get watered down in this year’s redistricting, and also put in volunteer time at the polls.

Five academics probed the many facets of the debate at a law school-sponsored installment of UC Berkeley’s ongoing discussion series, agreeing that this is a moment worth seizing to begin to repair the nation’s inequalities.

The meeting drew from the legal, academic, and policy realms to discuss how to make police more accountable.

Robin Wetherill ’18, winner of the agency’s annual award for most outstanding new lawyer, and five other alumni work to protect American consumers.

Professors Catherine Crump and Rebecca Wexler translate some of their scholarly work on electronic evidence and surveillance technology into policy guides.

The list features eight first-time offerings and eight more one-credit classes that are available to upper-class students for the first time.

The founder of No One Left Offline says “the internet is the new electricity — without it, you’re in the dark.”

Dean Erwin Chemerinsky says the total, second most among all law schools, “so reflects our public mission and commitment to public service.”

“The Fire and the Forgotten” will air on PBS in May, on the centennial of what’s known as one of the worst incidents in American history of racial violence against Black people.

“Technology Law as a Vehicle for Anti-Racism,” a free-two day virtual symposium on November 12 and 13 aims to not just ignite a conversation about how to channel tech law and policy to serve the interests of racial justice, but to stoke the flames of action.

Berkeley Law experts describe what to expect — depending on who wins the presidency and which party controls the Senate — from health care and the environment to immigration and criminal justice.

Gov. Gavin Newsom partners with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and Berkeley Law’s Death Penalty Clinic on a historic amicus brief about racial discrimination’s impact on how capital punishment is imposed in California. 

A message that emphasizes common interest in economic fairness across all races is essential to neutralize racially divisive messages, the Berkeley Law scholar and author says. 

During her one-year assignment at UC Legal, Tiongson strives to honor the legacy of Christopher Patti, UC Berkeley’s former chief campus counsel.

Governor Newsom signs a whopping seven bills that focus on protecting residents’ civil, financial, and environmental rights — all driven by Berkeley Law clinics and centers.

The executive director of Berkeley Law’s Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, Trepczynski discusses race hierarchy and its far-reaching implications.

Five Berkeley Law professors describe Ginsburg’s enormous influence and the colossal implications of rushing to confirm her replacement before the presidential election.

After coordinating programs to maximize representation, Pedral says completing the census by the September 30 deadline is vital for California’s future.

The Workers’ Rights Clinic caseload has surged since the pandemic sent a shockwave through the labor force. 

Berkeley Law professor and former dean Christopher Edley, Jr. joins three others in describing the historical and current factors impeding progress, and how to surmount them.

A federal lawsuit and proposed state legislation show the breadth of the clinic’s advocacy work. 

A change in leadership of Berkeley Law’s clinics arrives as the thriving program welcomes its biggest class of in-house students and solidifies plans to expand.

Samson Lim ’21 turns adversity and physical hardship into a transformed perspective and remarkable success.

The in-house clinical program welcomed seven new hires — six teaching fellows and one supervising attorney, expanding the growing program’s outreach to marginalized communities and individuals.

Part of a livestreamed Berkeley Conversations event, professors john a. powell and Claudia Polsky ’96 describe why environmental harms disproportionately affect people of color.

Two Berkeley Law professors and two other UC Berkeley scholars describe how race has created different forms of criminal justice in the U.S.

“Precisely the kind of legal scholar the moment demands,” Asad Rahim earned his Ph.D. at Berkeley Law’s Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program.

Research by the Policy Advocacy Clinic spurs Orange County’s decision to end collection and discharge $18.5 million in fees charged to families with children in the juvenile system before 2018.

Professors Taeku Lee, Bertrall Ross, Ian Haney López, Kathryn Abrams, and Abhay Aneja weigh in during a livestreamed Berkeley Conversations event moderated by Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.

As corporations scramble to send the right message to their customers, a self-guided class for professionals bolsters Berkeley Law’s growing suite of courses bridging corporate law and social and environmental justice.

Students in the Human Rights Center’s Investigations Lab scour digital content, leading to an Amnesty International report that documented 125 incidents of excessive force against protesters over 10 days.

A Berkeley Law student group works to develop a self-help litigation guide and other resources to help state prisoners avoid the coronavirus. 

Oscar Sarabia Roman ’21, Emma Nicholls ’21, and Gaby Bermudez ’22 honor the work of iconic Judge Thelton Henderson ’62 by advocating for marginalized people of color.

Three International Human Rights Law Clinic students helped draft a complaint with the United Nations on behalf of a British citizen tortured by Sri Lankan officials in 2016.

The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court follows a sustained effort by the UC communities to support the legal rights and human needs of DACA recipients.

While students, faculty, and staff are scattered around the world, Berkeley Law has brought them together through a variety of online events—many focused on the pandemic and the implications of the death of George Floyd.

An eye-opening report from Berkeley Law’s Death Penalty Clinic shows that racial discrimination is a deeply ingrained part of jury selection in California.

Three Berkeley Law graduates at the National Center for Youth Law play key roles in a court ruling ordering the release of detained children in federal immigration custody. 

A research fellow at Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center, Haar has analyzed the impact of rubber bullets, tear gas, and others weapons used during protests.

Savala Trepczynski ’11, executive director of Berkeley Law’s Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, says white people working to overcome their own fears and uncertainty is essential for bridging the racial divide.

In a new Yale Law Journal paper, Professor David Singh Grewal offers a timely blueprint for putting the themes of power, equality, and democracy at the center of legal scholarship. 

From price-gouging on essentials to outright theft, students in Berkeley Law’s Consumer Advocacy and Protection Society have been uncovering fraud and swindles all over the country—and fighting back. 

Part of a Berkeley Conversations panel, Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and Professor Bertrall Ross describe how the pandemic may alter the landscape before, during, and after Election Day.

Kiki Tapiero ’20 and Alex Copper ’20 win Berkeley Law’s Pro Bono Champion award while Safa Ansari-Bayegan ’20 and Miguel Soto receive its Eleanor Swift Award for Public Service.

Seven Latinx Berkeley Law students receive fellowship to pursue public interest internships and judicial externships—and to help diversify the legal profession.

Extraordinary 3Ls Savannah Reid, Bill Nguyen, and Camila Gonzalez wowed their supervisors, peers, and project partners en route to their awards. 

Professors Catherine Albiston ’93 and Catherine Fisk ’86 explain how the lack of paid leave in the U.S. reflects a growing inequality among Americans stoked by the COVID-19 crisis.

Faculty members Stavros Gadinis and Amelia Miazad ’02 remain hopeful that companies will continue to value “doing well by doing good” through the coronavirus pandemic. 

As the COVID-19 crisis grips the region, the center’s staffers are finding new angles for advocacy—and seizing the chance to shape the post-coronavirus landscape. 

Two Berkeley Law clinics give immediate financial relief to vulnerable families by persuading California to stop collecting government debt during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by a research center and a clinic, Berkeley Law’s students and faculty are leaping into action to help entrepreneurs weather the current economic storm.

New book offers a how-to guide for mining online information to increase accountability in the courts and the public eye.

As Berkeley Law’s admitted students weigh their options, its current students continue to inspire and amaze.

The principles provide concrete guidance for city staff to better protect residents’ personal information.

The Oakland effort has ignited a national call for greater housing rights.

Through a new partnership, the Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice is taking student-led interest groups to law schools around the country.

A flurry of new work, including an amicus brief in a hot-button Supreme Court case, shows the depth and reach of Khiara M. Bridges’ intersectional scholarship.

Given to just three graduating law students each year, the E. Barrett Prettyman Fellowship develops top indigent defense lawyers through rigorous training and strong support.

The denaming—the outcome of a nearly three-year process—is the first time a Berkeley facility’s name has been eliminated due to its namesake’s character or actions.

As general counsel of the House of Representatives, Letter is at the center of a hyper-partisan impeachment showdown.

Led by three dedicated 2Ls, the Reproductive Justice Project expands its substantive and geographic reach.

Fueled by her love of mentoring and eagerness to diversify the legal profession, Grayce Zelphin ’11 is Berkeley Law’s first director of judicial clerkships.

A seasoned policy expert whose experience stretches from Oakland to Africa takes the helm of the interdisciplinary center.

In-person interviews done in Ciudad Juárez are the backbone of a brief supporting an asylum seeker’s appeal.

A recent conference probes how consumer protection law can alleviate mounting criminal legal debt fueled by the expanding privatization of our jail and prison systems.

Two Berkeley Law students play a lead role in coordinating the event and promoting a growing, community-focused model.

A Fulbright Scholar and longtime children’s advocate, Day sees a huge opportunity to advance her work through Berkeley Law’s LL.M. thesis track program.

Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic students urges the court to reject Georgia’s bid to claim copyright in its official annotated legal code.

Faculty, researchers, and students are influencing state regulatory and governmental changes that address climate change and help disadvantaged communities.

Berkeley Law’s dean asserts that for racial discrimination claims in contracting to move forward, they need only show that race was plausibly a motivating factor in the defendant’s decision.

From Dean Erwin Chemerinsky to pro bono program leaders to students, members of the school community work to help DACA recipients.

The clinic is monitoring enforcement of a law that bars California counties from charging fees to parents and guardians of youth in the juvenile legal system.

Founded by Berkeley Law students, the organization now supervises two of the school’s student-led initiatives.

More than 50 researchers, public defenders, journalists, activists, and impacted young people probed the role of GPS tracking in juvenile court.

Ian Haney López lays out a research-based blueprint for building a new, multiracial political coalition to combat the use of race to divide the electorate.

The inspiring program that brings high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to Berkeley Law for the summer is in its 20th year.

First-year law student Blake Danser wants to help low-income communities, like the one he grew up in, and share his experience of what it’s like to be transgender and a veteran.

The fellowship’s second recipient is eager to help the university advance its commitment to diversity and social justice. 

“My ancestry traces back to the American Revolution,” writes Emily Bruce. “People still ask my nationality.”

Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center will develop and evaluate a home-based foster care pilot program. 

Ranked seventh nationally among U.S. law schools, the clinical program welcomes a supervising attorney and two fellows. 

The school, which hosted a recent five-day admissions workshop for prospective law school applicants, has a growing number of Native students who reconstituted Berkeley’s chapter of the Native American Law Students Association.

Thanks to the initiative of two Policy Advocacy Clinic students, Nevada families will no longer have to pay thousands of dollars for everything from food to a public defender when they have a child in the juvenile delinquency system.

Expanded programming, a new scholarship fund campaign, and a strong veterans law practicum signal meaningful momentum. 

The June 19 event featured a diverse set of judges who described some of the major challenges facing those who serve on the bench.

Judge Holly Fujie ’78, James McManis ’67, Benson Cohen ’04, Barry Scheck ’74, and Professor David Lieberman are honored at the annual ceremony.

The nation’s top-ranked environmental law program ramps up an already robust set of climate initiatives.

The Berkeley Law event assessed the movement’s progress and identified strategies for combating sexual harassment and violence.

Berkeley Law honors 26 students who earned the certificate in an increasingly vital area of law. 

Both displayed exceptional leadership and diligence as housing rights advocates.

The former California Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit judge continues to defy expectations. 

An exceptional roster of judges, practitioners, and scholars gathered to develop solutions for the growing burden on federal courts.

The collaborative program, with students from five UC law schools, offers an immersive semester working at a government agency, nonprofit, or advocacy organization in Washington, D.C.

Led by Berkeley Law students, the initiative provides support for key law-school skills, mentorship, and community-building sessions.

The Food Justice Project helps Berkeley students obtain monthly food benefits, and assists rejected applicants with their appeals.

Berkeley Law’s Pro Bono Program sponsors a transformative trip for 10 students over winter break. 

Taught in Spanish by lecturer Fernando Flores, ‘Representing Spanish-speaking Clients’ focuses on language, culture, and emotional intelligence. 

Kahn played a key role in California court rulings that improved care for inmates with mental health conditions and reduced prison overcrowding.

The expanding student-run program helps to incorporate new businesses led by low-income and minority founders.

The International Human Rights Law Clinic and Human Rights Center fight injustice through litigation, policy suggestions, advocacy, research, and science-based investigations.

The collaborative program provides legal, financial, and supportive services to preserve tenancies and prevent evictions.

Sarah Morando Lakhani ’19, Reynaldo Fuentes ’19, and Emma Mclean-Riggs ’17 will be funded for two years of focused public interest work.

Berkeley Law students Karin Bashir and Safa Ansari-Bayegon share insights from their memorable work.

The center’s new executive director describes its priorities and challenges in a Q&A. 

A Berkeley Law conference explores the proposition’s major impact on legal education, minority students, and campus racial dynamics.

Filed by the East Bay Community Law Center and four partner organizations, the suit also addresses other harmful policing practices on public housing property.

The five journal leaders reflect the growing diversity within Berkeley Law, and within its African-American community.

The report explains how these districts have expanded in number and power while excluding the homeless from public spaces. 

Brenda Munoz ’19, Kiki Tapiero ’20, Elvia Lopez ’19, and Katie Gonzalez ’19 spent a week conducting intakes and providing guidance.

Inspired by his daughter’s experience at the clinic, Ken Stevens helps fund its clinical supervising attorney position. 

The program provides paid law-related internships and classes that integrate a legal curriculum with life and leadership skills.

A Berkeley Law clinic’s yearlong effort prods the South’s first court to stop charging administrative fees to families of youth in the juvenile system.  

The center works to prevent secondary trauma from documenting human rights violations and potential war crimes.

The coveted two-year fellowship supports promising lawyers who develop innovative projects serving low-income populations.

Clinic leaders, faculty scholars, and student advocates work to level the playing field within America’s legal institutions.

Mark Leinauer of the Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program is leading a study of bias against gay and lesbian parents in child custody cases. 

Oscar Sarabia Roman and two Berkeley Law classmates were among 10 finalists chosen from more than 1,200 entries.

More than 40 percent of those who secured clerkships worked last summer in public-service positions.

Five students are chosen for the coveted positions: Sanjana Parkih ’20, Lana El-Farra ’20, Djenab Conde ’19, Andrew Huang ’19, and Jack Siddoway ’19.

Published by Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center, the study provides a detailed account of anti-trafficking efforts in five Bay Area counties.

Public- and private-sector panelists call for more prosecutor discretion, police accountability, and restorative justice programs.

At a recent Berkeley Law conference, managers, lawyers, scholars, and HR professionals discuss the movement’s global progress and challenges.

The director of Berkeley Law’s Policy Advocacy Clinic is honored for his effective, community-driven teaching and research.

Working with Berkeley Law’s Post-Conviction Advocacy Project, Lee and Hadi painstakingly helped Chris Deragon prepare for his parole hearing.

Berkeley Law’s New Business Practicum expands its Spanish services in person, over the phone, and on the air.

Anchored in 27 California community colleges, the initiative works to funnel more underrepresented students toward law school.

Graduates at the Southern Poverty Law Center gain victories in areas such as debtors’ prisons, immigration, and voting rights.

Launched by a major gift from renowned litigator Elizabeth Cabraser ’78, the center is the first of its kind among top-tier law schools.

Lawyers, researchers, and advocates discuss best practices and strategies for abolishing these regressive charges nationwide.

Known as a well-rounded and respected leader, she is believed to be the journal’s first female African American editor-in-chief.

The Homelessness Service Project and Berkeley Police Review Project hit the ground running to help community members in need.

Students hear from prominent GCs about their roles as social change agents.

International law clinic collaborates on report documenting the repression of women and LGBTQI+ human rights defenders.

From Geneva to Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., Berkeley Law’s full-semester “away” placements provide valuable hands-on experience.

Three Berkeley Law students were among those who gave TED-style talks at the center’s annual Fellowship Conference.

The International Human Rights Law Clinic aids in the investigation of the murder of a Honduran environmental activist.

Led by Professor Victoria Plaut, the lab highlights the implications of incorporating diversity and inclusion in businesses, legal institutions, and schools.

Berkeley Law launches a new program at The Hague for students pursuing a career in international law.

After 37 years on the federal bench, Henderson takes on a new role as a distinguished visitor.

A rock band performs for law students and discusses its years-long First Amendment litigation finally settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Highlights include new faculty, flourishing programs, high-impact research, and expanding student opportunities.

Catherine Fisk ‘86, an expert in labor law and legal history, is Berkeley Law’s newest faculty member.

Berkeley Law faculty, staff, and students provide legal guidance and support to program participants and other undocumented immigrants.

New clinic report offers guidance on how to develop a water affordability program in California.

Renowned experts from government and academia illuminate emerging issues in the legal world.

Colantuono plans to help increase transparency and improve relations with the state legislature.

Record number reflects concerted effort by faculty, staff, and alumni to help offset the lack of racial diversity in America’s judicial chambers.

Angela Onwuachi-Willig and three colleagues fuel effort to eliminate such policies in a growing number of American schools.

Nu has quickly emerged as a leading voice for human rights in Burma.

New “Access to Entrepreneurship” program partners with Code2040 and Wilson Sonsini to help underrepresented founders find success in Silicon Valley.

A new report analyzes juvenile electronic monitoring programs across California.

Through various deans and challenges, Tom has continually delivered exceptional and engaging students to Berkeley Law.

Abbye Atkinson, Adam Badawi ’03, and Joy Milligan begin their new positions this week, with Frank Partnoy to join the school in 2018.

Education advocates at Berkeley Law collaborate with local public defenders to help vulnerable minors.

Ted Lee ’59, Professor Stephen Sugarman, and Ann O’Leary ’05 receive awards for their exemplary work.

Six recent graduates who received the prestigious two-year fellowship will serve low-income populations in California, Texas, and New York.

The Los Angeles prosecutor steered a multi-agency effort that led to a major award from the Anti-Defamation League.

Linos will study an urgent global challenge: the European refugee crisis.

Law student leads city of Berkeley’s effort to close the wage gender gap.

A two-year standout at Berkeley Law’s Death Penalty Clinic, Tiet was honored for her work ethic and legal acumen.

Athletes, agents, team counsel, and other insiders address current issues in the ever-expanding sports world.

The clinic has earned a national reputation for diligent, effective work on behalf of indigent capital defendants.

A new major grant fuels momentum for Policy Advocacy Clinic to extend its work on the issue.

The International Human Rights Law Clinic says the World Bank’s internal watchdog does not have the authority to enforce its own social and environmental policies.

Six Berkeley Law alums and one student selected for the prestigious program learn their offers will be honored despite announcements of a governmental hiring freeze.

The U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice inspires students to harness their passion, drive and commitment to create a better world.

Professors Melissa Murray, Kenneth Bamberger, Christopher Tomlins, Sonia Katyal and Angela Onwuachi-Willig were feted at a recent ceremony.

Saul Rodriguez ’19 and Xiuyuan Hu ’19 are the first Berkeley Law students chosen by their respective programs. 

Professor Zimring’s latest book reveals unsettling truths about police shootings in the U.S.

The event tackled issues ranging from immigration and domestic surveillance to women’s rights and race relations.

Human Rights Center works to coordinate and improve the response to gender-based violence in Greece’s refugee camps.

Mark Feeser ’07 and Van Swearingen ’08 each score major court triumphs that have significant implications for prisoners.

Student leaders of the East Bay Dreamer’s Clinic provide legal and moral support while awaiting likely immigration policy changes.

Berkeley Law students help patients secure basic needs to stabilize their families’ lives.

A ruling by the Supreme Court of California in People v. Macabeo strengthens privacy rights and curtails unlawful police searches. 

Police departments are not the only institutions capable of assuring the effective use of body-worn cameras. Courts can do it, too.

Professor Lauren Edelman ’86 shows how symbolic anti-discrimination policies are increasingly seen as proof of compliance with civil rights laws.

“The Berkeley Effect” suggests that small actions can cause large, resonating effects. Here are just some of the ways that the Berkeley Law community helps make the world a better place.

A new report highlights the flaws in the “welfare family cap,” a policy that denies additional cash aid for babies born into families already receiving financial assistance.

A slew of ballot propositions are on the state ballot, from repeal of the death penalty to legalization of recreational marijuana.

The students offer advice and share empowering legal knowledge in classroom sessions on 4th Amendment and immigration issues.

Laura Lane ’96 and Lindsey Quock ’17 stop an apparent push to drive low-income Chinese immigrants out of their rent-controlled building.

Alumni and faculty experts will tackle the future of juvenile courts, the state of the U.S. Supreme Court and law’s role in encouraging entrepreneurship in the startup world.

Llanes and 11 other members of her class were selected for coveted opportunities to launch their social justice careers.

Internships and classes at Berkeley Law offer meaningful experience and integrate a legal curriculum with life skills and leadership development activities.

Four Berkeley Law scholars analyze how the court decided key cases dealing with abortion, immigration, affirmative action and gun rights.

“In most cases, we just turn our backs and leave them to suffer the consequences of wrongful conviction for the rest of their lives.”

Karen Tani’s book traces New Deal welfare programs across four decades.

In a new law review article, Professor Albiston argues that paid family leave will only work if it offers job security, as well as wage replacement.

A bill drafted by Phil Hernandez ’16 would ensure that all tenant records remain private unless landlords prevail within 60 days of filing suit.

After its triumph in Alameda County, Berkeley Law’s Policy Advocacy Clinic aims to repeal county authority to assess and collect such fees statewide.

A nearly six-year legal battle for justice took a new turn as the International Human Rights Law Clinic filed a petition against the U.S. for the death of a Mexican national by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Court ruling grants the widow and daughter of one of the accused’s murder victims the right to participate in his criminal proceedings.

With generous funding and programmatic support, Berkeley Law sets the public interest standard.

Asher Waite-Jones ’16 secures a T-visa for an East Bay Community Law Center client who was facing deportation.

Berkeley Law scholars have submitted amicus briefs in the biggest abortion rights case brought before the U.S. Supreme Court in two decades.

Berkeley Law’s International Refugee Assistance Project delegation provides case intake services and issues revealing report.

Below the Line: How the subminimum wage for tipped restaurant workers violates international human rights standards.

Mindy Phillips ’15 and Whitney Rubenstein ’14 strive to improve the lives of vulnerable children through Equal Justice Works fellowships at EBCLC.

Signed by 14 Berkeley Law organizations, the Fisher v. University of Texas brief cautions against eliminating race and ethnicity as admission considerations.

The Berkeley Law alumna, who begins her new position in January, is eager to “maximize the center’s impact” both on and off campus.

Law students are increasingly hungry to work with clients as early as possible. While such opportunities are rare at most law schools until students reach their second year, at Berkeley Law—thanks to the school’s Student-Initiated Legal Services Projects—they can dive in almost immediately.

Led by Director Eliza Hersh ’05, Clean Slate has served nearly 10,000 people who face myriad obstacles because of their criminal records.

The news of unarmed African Americans being killed by white police officers in Ferguson, Staten Island, and elsewhere triggered reflection—and action—at Berkeley Law. A working group was formed to identify initiatives the school could pursue to explore criminal, social, and racial justice issues surfaced by the killings. Faculty, staff, and students participated in discussions over several months, and the law school is starting to implement some recommendations.

The Policy Advocacy Clinic faculty and students at Berkeley Law and the East Bay Community Law Center have launched an Initiative to End Racial and Economic Disparities in Juvenile Justice, a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and experiential approach to better understand and ultimately eliminate racial and economic disparities in the juvenile justice system.  More information about this exciting initiative will be coming soon.

The Henderson Center sponsored 10 current Berkeley Law students to attend the #Law4BlackLives conference hosted by the Center for Constitutional Rights on July 31, 2015 in New York, Hear the students share their experiences Sept 17, 12:45 p.m. in 132 Law Building. Event details are here. To reserve a lunch, please RSVP at: http://tinyurl.com/pp2b4zs.

Richard Rothstein, one of the brief’s main authors, hails the Court’s ruling to invalidate race-neutral policies that nevertheless have a discriminatory impact.

The new report, Not Just a Ferguson Problem, documents the devastating effect of escalating traffic fees and penalties on poor communities.