Reproductive Justice Practicum

Every issue is a reproductive justice issue – because reproductive autonomy doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Instead, the conditions into which people are born, the resources available to them, the systems that govern their bodies, and the structural forces shaping their choices determine who ultimately has freedom over their reproductive lives.

Grounded in the intersectional reproductive justice framework, the Reproductive Justice Practicum offers students a unique opportunity to sharpen their legal skills while deepening their understanding of this critical theory. Understanding reproductive justice requires recognizing that meaningful reproductive freedom cannot exist without addressing the social, political, and economic conditions that enable people to make and effectuate decisions about their bodies and families. Legal advocacy for reproductive justice therefore requires learning from and working with impacted communities to identify injustices and develop strategies to address them.

Through the Reproductive Justice Practicum, students will have the opportunity to develop their practical legal skills while meaningfully contributing to the reproductive justice movement. In addition to legal support, policy advocacy, and public education efforts, students will provide crucial capacity-building support to reproductive health providers and grassroots organizations to strengthen their ability to navigate hostile legal environments, protect patient privacy and safety, and expand access to comprehensive reproductive care.

CREDITS

The Reproductive Justice Practicum is designed as a one-semester practicum offering three graded credits.

Students will participate in a weekly two-hour seminar, as well as fieldwork. To fulfill their fieldwork, students will be partner with community organizations and work in coalition with advocates working in one or more of the following areas:

Abortion Access & Rights

  • Legal hotlines and practical support networks
  • Litigation support for abortion rights cases, including amicus briefs
  • State and federal policy advocacy

Maternal Health Equity

  • Birth justice and midwifery access advocacy
  • Insurance expansion and coverage issues
  • Local, state and federal policy reform

Gender-Affirming Care

  • Legal support for transgender and nonbinary individuals
  • Policy advocacy for insurance coverage
  • Healthcare access and discrimination cases
  • Youth rights and family law issues

Sex Education & Youth Rights

  • Comprehensive sex education policy development
  • Student rights advocacy
  • Community education program development

Additional focus areas

  • Family Policing and the Family Regulatory System
  • Reproductive healthcare in carceral settings
  • Immigration and reproductive rights
  • Emergency contraception access
  • Crisis Pregnancy Center education and accountability
  • Disability justice and reproductive autonomy
  • Environmental justice and reproductive health
  • Reproductive health privacy

Note: the Reproductive Justice Practicum counts toward the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement and the Health Law – Reproductive Justice and Rights Concentration.

FACULTY