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Since 1967, BU Law has served as a model for clinical programs at law schools throughout the country. Today, our students are offered countless opportunities for personal and professional growth through our diverse experiential learning programs. These programs represent some of the most desired electives for second- and third-year students at BU Law.
Why are the programs so popular? As you can see below, there is something for everyone! Our programs fall into three categories: litigation clinics, legislative programs, and externship programs. Programs are one semester long unless otherwise indicated.
Litigation Clinics
The following programs offer the chance to work under the close supervision of clinical professors experienced in litigation matters, representing real clients in real cases. The cases have been specially chosen to provide students with the greatest possibility of client contact and courtroom experience.
Through the Civil Litigation Program, BU Law has partnered with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), New England’s leading legal services organization. GBLS is located in downtown Boston near all of the courthouses. Students represent low-income clients in all phases of litigation under the supervision of full-time clinical faculty. Students participate in one of three program areas: the Housing, Employment, Family & Disability Clinic (full-year program); the Asylum & Human Rights Clinic (full-year program); or the Employment Rights Clinic (semester-long program).
In the Criminal Clinical Program (full-year program), students conduct investigations, participate in plea bargaining, try cases and make sentencing arguments, all under faculty supervision. After a semester of training and supporting senior members of the clinic, students lead their own cases during their second semester of participation. During this semester, students choose to act as prosecutor, an adult defender, or a juvenile defender.
Students in the Wrongful Convictions Clinic screen applications from prisoners claiming innocence. Students scrutinize transcripts, forensic evidence, motions and appeals, and report to the New England Innocent Project. This clinic is not administered through the Office of Clinical Programs. For more information, please see the class description under the upperclass course information website.
In Civil Rights of Non-Citizens in the Immigration Process, students have the opportunity to work on real cases challenging the violation of non-citizens’ civil rights in the current environment of increased immigration enforcement. This clinic is not administered through the Office of Clinical Programs. For more information, please see the class description under the courseinfo website.
The Immigration Detention Clinic covers issues of detention in the immigration context. Students visit local detention centers to provide intake and assistance to individuals in immigration custody.
Legislative Programs
BU Law boasts several great options for students wishing to explore the intriguing world of the legislative process.
In the Africa i-Parliaments Clinic, students draft bill language and produce high-quality research reports supporting the African Parliamentary Knowledge Network (APKN), which helps to build the capacity of African parliaments to draft and enact more effective legislation.
American Legislative Practice is our most comprehensive program for learning about the law-making process. Either through our in-house clinic or through an externship at the Massachusetts State House, students work on projects typically handled by the legal and research staff of a legislative committee.
The Legislative Policy & Drafting Clinic is a drafting-intensive clinic where students draft legislation for legislators, administrative agencies and public interest groups.
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“The best part about the program is that the issues are real and your legislation is meeting the needs of legislators and committees in the State House.” Celeste Davis (’12) – American Legislative Practice |
Boston-based legal externships
Students can take advantage of Boston’s vibrant legal community by working part-time for school credit (unpaid) during the semester under the supervision of an attorney mentor. We have several externship programs to choose from, each with a different subject matter focus.
Our general externship program is the Legal Externship Program, where students work at a public interest organization, at a government agency, or in-house counsel. Our Health Law Externship Program focuses on health law placements such as area hospitals. Through the Government Lawyering Externship Program, students work at a government agency such as the US Attorney’s Office. The Judicial Externship Program places students with judges at the state and federal level. Finally, through Community Courts, students can see the inner workings of our community-based state court system.
Beyond Boston: Semester-In-Practice Program
We are proud to include among our offerings this fabulous opportunity to spend a semester working full-time for credit (unpaid). Participating students so far have worked in various government agencies in Washington, D.C., and farther afield in Los Angeles and even Geneva, Switzerland. For students with well-defined career goals, the Semester-in-Practice Program is a valuable career-building experience that poses a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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“I sat behind Senator Leahy at Justice Kagan’s confirmation hearing. It certainly can’t get much better than that.” Hasan Ali (’10) – Semester-in Practice Program |
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