STUDENT GROUPS: PRO BONO PROJECTSStudent-led projects continue to form a critical core of the pro bono requirement offering unique leadership and practical experience opportunities while helping underserved populations. Many of the projects also incorporate a cross-disciplinary focus as Penn Law students work with graduate students across campus. A few examples include the Penn Law Advocates for the Homeless, which works closely with students from Penn's School of Social Policy & Practice, and our law-related education programs, which collaborate with the Graduate School of Education. The Animal Law Project works to improve the lives and legal status of animals and encourages animal advocacy by supporting advocates and educating the public. ALP members assist individual attorneys and organizations, teach legal education workshops for the public, and develop an outreach-oriented website with resources for animal activists, advocates, and students, among other projects. Civil Rights Law ProjectThe Penn Law Civil Rights Law Project is committed to serving social justice in the Philadelphia area. Currently, this project works with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and actively seeks to form additional partnerships with other civil rights advocacy organizations, to assist with their litigation and public policy efforts on civil rights issues. The project’s ultimate goal is to promote the principles of antidiscrimination, equal opportunity, and equal justice under the law for all persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or poverty. Custody and Support AssistanceThe Custody and Support Assistance Clinic (CASAC) is an independent, nonprofit pro bono project partnered with the Penn Law and Philadelphia Legal Assistance. Each year, CASAC selects from among Penn Law students 20 advocates who staff a shift each week to assist clients in family court matters related to custody, child support, and domestic violence. Environmental Law ProjectStudents engage in pro bono and for-credit externship projects to actively address the unmet needs of environmental preservation and justice on a local, regional, national and international level through support for legislative advocacy, community lawyering, and policy research. Past student research/work has involved issues such as public access to information about environmental risks in their area, waterfront development and protected area status. The Project currently runs an externship with the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, a local environmental group, in public interest environmental lawyering. Students apply an interdisciplinary focus to address the legal, scientific, economic, political and social factors that are involved in environmental lawyering. Guild Food Stamp ProjectFounded in 1984, this student-run project provides legal counseling and representation to clients in food stamp cases. Recently 16 Penn Law students participated in the Project and provided assistance to nearly 300 clients in food stamp cases. Legal Education PartnershipThe Legal Education Partnership sustains a meaningful partnership between the students, faculty, and staff at Penn Law and the students, teachers, administration, parents, and community at Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School. The partnership aims to provide comprehensive legal services and support to the students and community at Boys' Latin. The partnership is mutually beneficial, offering a place for community activism and clinical legal practice for the law students, while also giving the high school academic support, aspiration building programs, and legal resources. Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy ProjectLaw students teach high school students about their rights and responsibilities under the Constitution utilizing the We the Students textbook, written by law professor and founder of the program Jamie Raskin. Penn Law students also prepare area high school students for the annual nationwide Moot Court Competition held in Washington D.C. Penn Advocates for the HomelessStudents provide legal assistance to homeless clients by conducting outreach at local West Philadelphia homeless shelters. Recently Penn Advocates for the Homeless trained 13 new advocates who opened 50 cases in a variety of substantive areas of law including landlord-tenant, disability, family law, government benefits, and workers' compensation. The group works in collaboration with Penn's School of Social Policy & Practice. Penn Housing Rights ProjectThrough daily observations of landlord/tenant proceedings, students collect data on the extent to which the court complies with procedural and substantive rules and the particular challenges facing under-represented clients. The Immigrant Rights ProjectThe Immigrant Rights Project is a student-run clinic that provides direct legal services to indigent immigrants in the greater Philadelphia area. Penn Law students assist individuals from all over the world in applications for asylum and for benefits under the Violence Against Women Act. Additionally, students are engaged in research relating to immigration appeals and unlawful detention at Guantanamo Bay with pro bono attorneys at Reed Smith. Penn Law International Human Rights AdvocatesThe International Human Rights Advocates (IHRA) seeks to create a space within the Penn Law community to conduct research, undertake advocacy campaigns, and educate colleagues on contemporary issues of international human rights. IHRA has four programming elements — a human rights clinic, an advocacy program, a spring break trip, and a career forum for international human rights. Prisoners' Legal Education ProjectThrough this student-run project, law students provide inmates with legal assistance in matters ranging from civil rights violations to confiscated property. Public Interest Mentoring InitiativeThe Public Interest Mentoring Initiative is a student-managed network of mentors and mentees interested in pursuing, considering, or simply discussing public interest legal careers and courses. Our mentor/mentee relationships provide new students advice, support and friendship and are fun and rewarding for both sides. Reproductive Rights ProjectThe Reproductive Rights Project assists the Women's Law Project on legislation as well as legal research and writing on local, state and federal issues and activities that may advance or undermine reproductive rights. The project advocates for women who seek access to reproductive health services. Street LawThrough Street Law, advocates teach a law-related curriculum on social justice to middle and high school students throughout Philadelphia. Students Against Gender-Based ExploitationThe Students Against Gender-Based Exploitation (SAGE) serves survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and other forms of gender-based exploitation. The project engages these issues in a variety of legal frameworks, including family law, criminal law, civil law, and legal education. SAGE aims to provide legal training and hands-on experience to students interested in direct service work with survivors of trauma, and strives to prepare students for the social and psychological needs of a client that arise while engaging the client's legal case. Employment Advocacy ProjectThe Employment Advocacy Project (EAP) advocates represent unemployment claimants who are appealing their denials of unemployment compensation. Advocates interview clients, research applicable law, conduct direct and cross examinations, and give closing statements before an administrative law judge. Urban Ventures ProjectThe Urban Ventures Project builds partnerships with Philadelphia-area public schools, charter schools, and after-school programs to identify students interested in the entire venture creation process, from idea generation to the building of a sustainable business, with specific emphasis on the legal and social considerations involved in entrepreneurship. Penn Law volunteers lead small-group teaching sessions through our specially-designed curriculum, using a hands-on approach. |
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