• Degree Requirements
• First Year Writing
• Moot Court Programs
• Clinics/Externships
  • About Clinical Programs
  • Meet Clinic Students
  • Civil Litigation Program
    • About the Program
    • Housing, Employment, Family & Disability Clinic
    • Asylum & Human Rights Clinic
    • Employment Rights Clinic
    • Concentration
    • Faculty
    • FAQs
  • Criminal Clinical Program
    • About the Program
    • Requirements
      • Second Year Students
      • Third Year Students
    • About the Courts
    • Concentration
    • Faculty
  • Health Law Externship Program
    • About the Program
    • Accepted Students
      • Fall Semester Students
      • Spring Semester Students
      • Placement Search
    • Concentration
    • FAQs
  • Legal Externship Program
    • About the Program
    • Accepted Students
      • Fall Semester Students
      • Spring Semester Students
      • Placement Search
      • Past Field Placements
        • Placement Listings
    • Concentration
    • FAQs
  • Legislative Clinics
    • Legislative Policy & Drafting Clinics
      • About the Program
      • How Legislative Clinics Work
      • Past Projects
      • Concentration
    • Africa i-Parliaments Clinic
    • Legislative Counsel Clinic
      • About the Program
      • Requirements
    • Faculty
    • FAQs
  • Legislative Internship Program
    • About the Program
    • Requirements
    • Recent Legislative Internship Placements
    • FAQs
  • Semester-in-Practice Program
    • About the Program
    • How to Apply
    • FAQs
    • Accepted Students
  • Trial Advocacy Program
  • How to Apply
    • Open House
    • Application
    • Application – Employment Law Clinic
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • Clinic News
• Concentration
• Dual Degrees
• Study Abroad Programs
• Pro Bono Program
• Visiting Exchange Students

About the Program

In 2008, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), initiated a new program called the African Parliamentary Knowledge Network (APKN) to build the capacity of African parliaments to draft and enact more effective legislation.  This clinic will support the APKN initiative by working with clients such as members of African Parliaments, government agencies, and regional government organizations.  An in-house clinic, students will take advantage of the materials held in the BU Library’s various Africa collections, the internet, and communications technology to consult with clients and gather information on various substantive projects.  Students will work closely with student editors and the professors to produce high quality research reports and draft bill language.  Students will also add value to APKN by reporting on recently passed African statutes and governmental reform for publication on the APKN’s Africa Parliamentary Information Exchange (http://apex.apkn.org/).  The weekly seminar will focus on the use of legislation for social change, the legislative processes of Africa, and evidence-based legislation methodology.

BASIC FACTS:

• One semester program (fall only).  Students may also work on Africa related projects by taking the Legislative Policy & Drafting Clinic during the Spring ’10 semester.
• Open to upcoming 2L and 3L students.  Preference will be given to upcoming 3Ls who have not yet taken a clinic.  12 students are accepted into the program each semester.
• Students receive 6 graded credits: 3 for fieldwork and 3 for a weekly seminar.
• A limited number of students may satisfy the upperclass requirement through this clinic.
• Prerequisites: none.
• Professors: Bob Seidman, Ann Seidman, & Sean Kealy.

For more information, contact Professor Sean Kealy at skealy@bu.edu or 617.353.8373.