Social Justice and Public Interest

“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.