290A sec. 001 - Policy Advocacy Clinic Seminar (Fall 2026)
Instructor: Stephanie Lian Campos-Bui (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only | profile)
Instructor: Jeffrey Selbin (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only | profile)
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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 244
From August 19, 2026
To November 30, 2026
Course End: November 30, 2026
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 1
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 16
As of: 05/23 11:49 PM
This is the classroom component of the Policy Advocacy Clinic, an experiential learning course in which interdisciplinary teams of law and public policy students support state and local campaigns for racial and economic justice. The clinic’s approach is ground-up (informed by impacted people), problem-based (addressing pressing issues), and client-driven (accountable to community organizations).
In the clinic, students learn substantive law and policy advocacy skills. On behalf of state and local client organizations, students will conduct legal, policy, and social science research; research legislative history; file public records requests; analyze fiscal and implementation impacts; and consult with stakeholders (community members, advocacy organizations, public officials).
Students will produce written work for clients, including drafting legislation, regulations, and policy proposals; preparing internal legal, policy, and fiscal memoranda; and developing external materials for public dissemination, such as fact sheets, policy briefs, research reports, and know-your-rights resources.
Students may also have opportunities to develop oral advocacy skills by preparing and delivering testimony and public comment to state and local decision-making bodies, including city councils, county boards of supervisors, and legislatures. Some projects may require clinic-funded travel within or outside of California.
The enrollment target is 16-20 JD (law) students and 8-12 MPP (public policy) students to work together on interdisciplinary project teams. There are no prerequisites. Prior experience working for racial and economic justice may be taken into consideration, and the instructors and clinical program are committed to an equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist learning and practice environment.
Because of project demands, first-time clinic students may not enroll concurrently in another clinic, field placement, or internship. Enrollment in the seminar (2 units) and clinic (4-9 units, 16-36 hours/week) is by permission of the instructors. Interested students should apply here: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/forms/clinics/clinical_application.php. Applications open on April 1st and are due at noon on April 8th.
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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Requirements Satisfaction:
When this Clinic and Seminar are taken in the same semester, they are counted together as satisfying one of the following requirements:
Students who want the clinic/seminar to satisfy Option 2 of the Writing Requirement must obtain instructor approval and complete a paper or series of written work, with drafts, of 30 or more pages. To receive Option 2 credit, students must submit this form: https://na3.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=db49abd6-616e-45e4-a912-e932cd3fb15c&env=na3-eu1&acct=ae094ebe-6750-44d8-a517-9886242ff735 In addition to the above-designated requirement choice, the units from this Clinic/Seminar fulfill the Race and the Law requirement. Please contact Student Academic Advising and Support Services (SAASS) with any questions. |
Exam Notes: (None) Series of papers or assignments 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
If you are the instructor or their FSU, you may add a file like a syllabus or a first assignment.
Class materials may also be available on bCourses.berkeley.edu
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Books:
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