POLS 340 Lawyering for Social Justice
Pursuing effective change particularly in today's complex world requires creative collaborative efforts to identify and implement solutions to achieve a more radically participatory democracy. Lawyering for Social Justice considers the related theories of legal scholars who have reconceptualized legal practice to transform systems through both legal and community knowledge. These include theories of community lawyering, lawyering for social justice, rebellious lawyering, democratic lawyering, and collaborative lawyering. All of these theories impart a common vision of lawyering for social change in stark contrast to the traditional or regnant model. The praxis of Lawyering for Social Justice (POLS 340) and Community Law Internship (POLS 260) creates a balanced context from which students develop critical consciousness question assumptions of power privilege and identity learn to respect community decision-making capacities expand their understanding of the importance of relationships in the pursuit of social change and remain open to learning from the lived-experiences" of the community. The unique co-requisite course design allows students to engage in a weekly seminar (POLS 340) and work as interns in community-based public interest legal service organizations (POLS 260). Students also interact with Los Angeles activists and lawyers as part of a speaker series. Instructor permission required. Can be repeated once for credit.
Sub-field: PUBLIC LAW