Required Clinic Component: International Human Rights Clinic (3-5 fall clinical credits). Students enrolled in the fall clinic must enroll in either this clinical seminar or Human Rights Advocacy (2 fall classroom credits). Students are not guaranteed their first choice of clinical seminars. Clinical seminar selection and enrollment occurs once a student has enrolled in the fall clinic and is orchestrated by the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs.

Additional Co-/Pre-Requisites: None.

By Permission: No.

Add/Drop Deadline: August 14, 2020.

LLM Students: LLM students may apply to the clinic by submitting an application.

Placement Site: HLS.

Armed conflict inflicts physical, psychological, and socioeconomic suffering on civilians caught in its path. Militaries kill and injure bystanders due to their choice of certain weapons and/or tactics. Armed forces may also intentionally harm noncombatants to advance their goals. Collectively these actions impose immediate and long-term harm on individuals and societies.
Minimizing such suffering presents many challenges for lawyers and advocates. This clinical seminar will explore ways to advance civilian protection during and after armed conflict. Following an introduction to the costs of conflict and the idea of limited war, the course will examine a wide spectrum of strategies, such as naming and shaming, treaty negotiation, international criminal justice, victim assistance, diplomacy, peacekeeping, and humanitarian intervention. Students will assess the promises and limitations of each strategy and consider how to determine the most appropriate one for a specific situation. Through role-playing exercises, they will also learn practical skills needed to work in the field.

A fall clinical practice component is required of all students. Clinical placements are with the International Human Rights Clinic.