Public Interest Law CURRICULUM MAP
This map seeks to help guide you in selecting courses if you are interested in pursuing a career in public interest law or concentrating your studies in this area. As a general proposition, we strongly encourage you to pursue a broad legal education that balances fundamental courses (including bar courses), your specific professional interests, and classes that appeal to you for any reason. This page provides basic advice and gives information about the courses and other offerings made available by the College of Law. Please also note that a Certificate in Public Interest Law and Policy is available. We encourage you to seek one-on-one guidance in designing your 2L and 3L curriculum from one of the faculty advisors listed below. In addition, the Dean of Students and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs are always happy to meet with students for general academic advising and for designing curricular paths.
Sequencing As a general rule, fundamental courses should be taken before more specialized courses. In this field, that means you will probably want to take the basic course(s) in the area of public interest law where you want to focus (e.g., Environmental Law or Natural Resources for that field, Family Law for that field) in your 2L year. Because public interest law often deals with agencies, you also may want to take Administrative Law in your 2L year. Experiential Opportunities Civil and Transactional Externships Innocence Clinic Justice Lab Competitions Arbitration Competition Mediation Competition Traynor Moot Court Competition Pro Bono Opportunities Community Legal Clinic Scholarships Alonzo Watson Scholarship Frankel Summer Fellowship Spurgeon Summer Fellowship Student Organizations Minority Law Caucus National Lawyers Gild Natural Resources Law Forum Public Interest Law Organization Rainbow Caucus Reproductive Justice Social Justice Initiative Student Animal Defense League Women’s Law Caucus Faculty Advisors Prof. Jensie Anderson Prof. Anna Carpenter Prof. RonNell Andersen Jones Prof. Bob Keiter Prof. Laura Kessler Prof. Cliff Rosky
Rev. 2/2021
Substantive Courses Administrative Law Climate Change* Conservation Easements* Consumer Law* Disability Law* Evidence Federal Indian Law Feminist Legal Theory First Amendment Global Justice Human Rights & Corporations Identity, (em)Power & Professional Responsibility Immigration Law International Human Rights Media Law Poverty Law Reproductive Rights & Justice Statutory Interpretation Substantive Courses, including a seminar, in Area of Interest (see other curricular maps) Victims’ Rights
Experiential Courses Appellate Practice Conflict Management Environmental Conflict Resolution* Externships and Learning From Practice Immigration Skills Lab Rev. 2/2021 Innocence Clinic Justice Lab Legislative Process Mediation/Advanced Negotiation Pre-Trial Practice Trial Advocacy * May not be offered every year.
Rev. 2/2021
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