FALL 2011
SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL
CLINIC
NEWSLETTER
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS, IMMIGRATION LAW AND STREET LAW
CLINICS
CLINIC STUDENTS PARTNER WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION ATTORNEY On Upcoming District Court Appeal s part of their Children’s Rights Clinic casework this past Spring, students Andrew Katon ’11 and Sun Young Kim ’11 partnered with local special education attorney Susan Snowden to appeal an administrative law decision to the U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Both students did extensive research on the issues on appeal, which Ms. Snowden used to form the basis of the complaint. The issues on appeal include whether a school psychologist is required to provide testing materials and data in connection with a previously conducted psycho-educational assessment as part of the documentation requested in a subpoena duces tecum. The opposing school district did not provide such records requested by the petitioner in the administrative hearing and the administrative law judge determined that because petitioner could not prove that the school district willfully suppressed the testing data, the lack of production of such information was not a material violation. Because plaintiffs were unable to challenge the adequacy of the assessment at the hearing, plaintiffs’ right to cross-examine the District’s school psychologist at the hearing was significantly impaired and, therefore, plaintiffs’ right to participate fully and fairly in the due process hearing was denied, resulting in a denial of a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) to the student. During Summer 2011, the Children’s Rights Clinic’s summer extern, Kimberly Nicole Maruyama ’12, dissected the hearing transcript, targeting key areas in the document that support plaintiff’s argument on appeal. Ms. Snowden used this to formulate her opening statements and oral arguments that will be presented before the Court this Fall.
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“It feels great to have been able to have a positive impact on their lives, and both students and the school were very appreciative of our Street Law Clinic.” – Johnny Rundell ‘12 (See page 6 for his complete “Reflections on the Clinic Experience”)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 2 Children’s Rights Clinic 4 Immigration Law Clinic 6 Street Law Clinic and Public Service Program
STILL DREAMING FOR HOPE Community Outreach Efforts Benefit High School Students s part of the Southwestern Immigration Law Clinic’s community outreach efforts, Spring 2011 clinic students organized Still DREAMing for Hope, an awareness and fundraising event for an AB (Assembly Bill) 540 club from a local high school in Boyle Heights, California. The DREAM Act is the proposed federal legislation that would create a path to legalization for undocumented students who meet certain criteria (students who may potentially qualify if the DREAM Act passes have adopted the title "DREAMers"), and AB 540 refers to a California law that allows certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at California public colleges and universities. At the event, the clinic students generated discussion about AB 540 issues and raised money for scholarships benefitting the high school students in Boyle Heights who plan to attend college. Attendees included Southwestern students, faculty members and their families as well as immigration attorneys and community members. Through this project, clinic students learned collaboration skills associated with grassroots organizing and community education, expanded their tools for addressing social problems and further developed their understanding of public interest work.
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SAVE THE DATE! Legal Clinic Open House
March 16, 2012 (details on back page)
Legal Clinic Information Session
March 14, 2012
Legal Clinic Applications for the 2012-2013 Year Due
March 30, 2012