LAW 7905

Advocacy for LGBT Communities Practicum

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

Prerequisite: completion of 2 full semesters of law study at a U.S. law school. Permission of the instructor.  Limited enrollment.  12 to 16 hours of work per week. This course has two components. First, a weekly seminar that covers a survey of different legal topics affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and communities. Topics include relationship recognition, parentage, custody, asylum, employment discrimination, and more. This seminar generally takes place at Cornell Law School. Second, students will spend, on average, 8 hours per week doing client work and case rounds in Syracuse at the offices of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County. Students will work on a variety of legal cases and advocacy projects that advance or defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and communities.  Students will work on developing fundamental lawyering skills such as interviewing, client counseling, and drafting of court forms.  Students will also have the opportunity to engage in public education, legal research and other advocacy.  Students must be able to arrange for their own travel to and from Syracuse on a weekly basis. Students are requested to submit a resume, transcript and letter of interest when applying.

When Offered Fall, Spring.

Course Attribute (CU-CEL)
Satisfies Requirement Satisfies the skills requirement.

Comments Attendance is mandatory at the first class. Students who wish to apply to the clinic must submit a resume, transcript, and short essay (no more than 2 pages) to Prof. Hazeldean. Students who have questions or would like more information about the clinic are encouraged to email Prof. Hazeldean (shazeldean@cornell.edu) and schedule a meeting. This course requires off premises travel to meet with clients and participate in hearings.

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