Legislation and Policy Clinic
Working under the supervision of Clinic faculty, students study the legislative process and participate in policy and legislative development, analysis, advocacy, and implementation. Students participate in both a weekly seminar and a team project to advance real world legislative or policy change while also learning important lawyering skills including legal and legislative research and analysis, fact gathering, practical judgment, problem-solving, written and oral communication and advocacy, and self reflection. Student clinicians will:
- Learn the legislative process along with a sophisticated understanding of political realities associated with the process;
- Understand the potential impact of legislation as well as its limitations;
- Develop skills in critiquing legislation, assessing a legislative problem, researching the problem, proposing solutions, and drafting materials and presenting information orally—all essential components of legislative advocacy;
- Participate in an ongoing advocacy initiative;
- Develop as a future leaders in child welfare reform.
How We Help
Clinic faculty and students have worked on an array of issues including recognition of the rights of siblings in foster care to contact with one another; criteria for revocation of private guardianship of children; development of procedures for expungement of juvenile arrest records; examination of the governance structure of urban public schools; identification of laws, policy, and best practices regarding youth adjudicated for sex offenses; lead poisoning prevention. Clinic work may be done on behalf of community-based organizations, multi-party coalitions, task forces, the Civitas ChildLaw Center, or other entities. Partners on past and current projects include state legislators, government decision makers, advocates, and a range of organizations including:
- Center for Tax and Budget Accountability
- Children’s Defense Fund
- Families’ and Children’s AIDS Network
- Illinois Association of Realtors®
- Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
- Illinois Department of Public Health
- Illinois Educational Facilities Task Force
- Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
- Illinois Lead Safe Housing Task Force
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Illinois Statewide Foster Youth Advisory Council
- Juvenile Justice Initiative
- Metropolitan Tenants Organization
- Project NIA
Application Process
This four-credit clinical course is offered in the fall and spring; interested students may enroll for a second semester for two – four credits. The Clinic is open to full-time students in their second or third year of law school and to part-time upper division students whose schedules permit them to participate in Clinic activities. To participate in the Legislation and Policy Clinic, please complete this application.
Working under the supervision of Clinic faculty, students study the legislative process and participate in policy and legislative development, analysis, advocacy, and implementation. Students participate in both a weekly seminar and a team project to advance real world legislative or policy change while also learning important lawyering skills including legal and legislative research and analysis, fact gathering, practical judgment, problem-solving, written and oral communication and advocacy, and self reflection. Student clinicians will:
- Learn the legislative process along with a sophisticated understanding of political realities associated with the process;
- Understand the potential impact of legislation as well as its limitations;
- Develop skills in critiquing legislation, assessing a legislative problem, researching the problem, proposing solutions, and drafting materials and presenting information orally—all essential components of legislative advocacy;
- Participate in an ongoing advocacy initiative;
- Develop as a future leaders in child welfare reform.
How We Help
Clinic faculty and students have worked on an array of issues including recognition of the rights of siblings in foster care to contact with one another; criteria for revocation of private guardianship of children; development of procedures for expungement of juvenile arrest records; examination of the governance structure of urban public schools; identification of laws, policy, and best practices regarding youth adjudicated for sex offenses; lead poisoning prevention. Clinic work may be done on behalf of community-based organizations, multi-party coalitions, task forces, the Civitas ChildLaw Center, or other entities. Partners on past and current projects include state legislators, government decision makers, advocates, and a range of organizations including:
- Center for Tax and Budget Accountability
- Children’s Defense Fund
- Families’ and Children’s AIDS Network
- Illinois Association of Realtors®
- Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
- Illinois Department of Public Health
- Illinois Educational Facilities Task Force
- Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
- Illinois Lead Safe Housing Task Force
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Illinois Statewide Foster Youth Advisory Council
- Juvenile Justice Initiative
- Metropolitan Tenants Organization
- Project NIA
Application Process
This four-credit clinical course is offered in the fall and spring; interested students may enroll for a second semester for two – four credits. The Clinic is open to full-time students in their second or third year of law school and to part-time upper division students whose schedules permit them to participate in Clinic activities. To participate in the Legislation and Policy Clinic, please complete this application.