Enrollment in this clinic will fulfill the HLS JD pro bono requirement.

Required Class Component: Education Advocacy and Systemic Change (2 fall classroom credits). This clinic and course are bundled; your enrollment in this clinic will automatically enroll you in the required course.
Additional Co-/Pre-Requisites: None.
By Permission: No.
Add/Drop Deadline: Early drop of August 2, 2021.
LLM Students: International students on F-1 student visas are required to have Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization; LL.M. students are not eligible for CPT.
Placement Site: Various externship placements.

The Education Law Clinic: Externships focuses on the educational rights of students with an emphasis on the educational success of at-risk, low income students, particularly those who have been traumatized by exposure to adverse experiences, have disabilities, have been or are homeless, or have experienced other barriers to success such as the achievement gap, bullying (including cyberbullying), truancy, suspensions and expulsions, and learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Law students will intern with organizations that are addressing these issues. Each student will be placed in either a non-profit organization (such as Massachusetts Advocates for Children, EdLaw Project, Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts, Center for Law and Education) or a government agency (such as the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Attorney General’s office, the Bureau of Special Education Appeals).

Placements: Students who enroll in this clinic will be contacted by Liz Solar in the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs to begin the placement process of matching students with externship organizations. Some of the placement organizations ask for a minimum of 15 hours of work. The concurrent course will provide time to reflect upon each student’s clinical experience and place the work they and their organization are doing in the context of a model of system change.

This is an externship clinic. Students must have at least one full business day available in their schedule to work on-site at their placement organization. Any remaining clinical hours should be worked in blocks of at least 5 hours. Most placement organizations are open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm.