Legislation Clinics
BU Law's Legislative Clinics, which include the Policy & Drafting Clinic, Legislative Internship Program and Legislative Counsel Clinic, offer students a variety of opportunities to examine the legislative process.
Legislation Policy & Drafting Clinics
The Legislation Policy & Drafting Clinics offer three areas of focus:
-General Legislation
-Intellectual Property (counts towards concentration)
- Health and Environment Legislation (counts towards concentration)
In the Policy & Drafting Clinics, you'll work with state senators and representatives, mayors, city councils, administrative agencies and public interest groups to create legislative solutions to problems. Weekly seminars and small critique groups help you hone your legislative drafting skills. Faculty advisors and student editors also provide individualized guidance in drafting bills and supporting memoranda.
Legislative Internship Program
Interns in the Legislative Internship Program, which matches second-and third-year students with senators and representatives at the Massachusetts State House, have the opportunity to draft legislation, evaluate testimony and participate in planning meetings with legislators and staff. They also observe legislative strategy sessions and negotiations, research questions of law and fact for proposed legislation and attend floor debates and committee meetings.
Legislative Counsel Clinic
In the Legislative Counsel Clinic, you'll develop and apply a variety of legal skills to the legislative process. In the classroom, students examine the theoretical and practical aspects of the legislative process. Outside of class, students apply what they’ve learned by working with clients, including legislators, state executive offices, nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups, to advance a bill or project. This allows you to relate—and test—the theories discussed in class to real-life situations.
A sampling of assignments:
- Drafting and revising legislation
- Formulating a strategy to guide bills through the legislative process
- Working to build a coalition to support or defeat a bill
- Advocating for or against a bill or issue with legislators
- Testifying at committee hearings