Course Descriptions

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California Regulatory Law Clinic I & II (LWVL502)

Instructor(s): Marcus Friedman

1-2 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Public Interest Law (JD)
Prerequisite(s): CA Regulatory Law and Public Interest

This Clinic, offered in both the Fall and the Spring semesters, is highly recommended for the Public Interest Law Concentration. This Clinic is associated with California Regulatory Law and Public Interest, and offers students an experiential opportunity to complement the knowledge gained from that class. In the Clinic, each student is assigned to monitor one or more state agencies, and does so by attending agency meetings (or watching them online), analyzing regulatory proposals, monitoring legislation and litigation impacting the agency, and more. In addition to drafting periodic tweets and blogs about their agencies during the semester, at the end of the semester students write articles on their agencies for publication in the California Regulatory Law Reporter, which appears on Westlaw. This enables students to achieve, prior to graduation, publication in the major state administrative law publication. Students in this Clinic meet with Prof. Friedman and Consumer Protection Policy Center staff weekly to inform and guide their work. Students interested in California Regulatory Law Clinic I & II must secure a permission slip from Professor Marcus Friedman at CPIL's offices.

Note:

California Regulatory Clinic II is LWVL 512

Child Advocacy Policy Clinic I & II (LWVL505)

Instructor(s): Jessica Heldman

1-3 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Prerequisite(s): Child Rights & Remedies

In this clinic, students work with Staff Attorneys at USD Law’s Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI) on legislative and regulatory policy advocacy projects, impact litigation, public education, and/or policy research and analysis of issues that affect children, with an emphasis on children in the foster care system. Students are supervised by Professor Jessica Heldman and projects can include working remotely with CAI’s National Policy Advocate in Washington DC, CAI’s California Policy Advocate in Sacramento, or with local San Diego staff. This clinic provides an exciting opportunity to experience how laws and regulations get developed, enacted, and enforced on behalf of an important and vulnerable group of individuals. To participate, students must have completed or be enrolled in Child Rights and Remedies.  Clinic slots are limited; contact Professor Jessica Heldman if interested. 

Note:

This clinic may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Child Advocacy Policy Clinic II is LWVL 506.

Child Advocacy Practicum - Dependency I & II (LWVL507)

Instructor(s): Jessica Heldman

4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Prerequisite(s): See course description

Practicum students assist attorneys from Children’s Legal Services of San Diego (CLSSD) or Dependency Legal Services of San Diego (DLSSD) in the representation of abused and neglected children or their parents, respectively, in Dependency Court proceedings. Dependency Court is the division of Juvenile Court where all decisions are made as to the legal rights of children who are found to be abused or neglected. Dependency Practicum students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences, such as interviewing clients and witnesses; presenting evidence during bench trials; preparing briefs and memoranda; participating in Child and Family Team meetings, conducting field work with investigators; and making court appearances as necessary and appropriate. Dependency Practicum interns must work at least 16 hours per week with their supervising attorneys. In addition, practicum students meet as a group once weekly for a one-hour classroom component. Students must have completed or be enrolled in Evidence, Civil Procedure and Child Rights and Remedies. Practicum slots are limited; students must obtain a permission slip from Professor Jessica Heldman to register for the course.

Note:

This practicum may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Child Advocacy Practicum - Dependency II is LWVL 508

Child Advocacy Practicum - Dependency LEGACY I & II (LWVL587)

Instructor(s): Carolyn Griesemer, Jessica Heldman

1-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Corequisite(s): Child Rights and Remedies

LEGACY Project students provide legal information and assistance to youth experiencing homelessness under the supervision of experienced attorneys. Students participate in evening drop-in legal clinics held on-site at a local youth shelter, where they meet directly with young people to identify and address legal needs involving issues such as public benefits, education, housing, family relationships, and access to supportive services. Students develop practical lawyering skills through client interviewing and counseling, legal research, case planning, advocacy, and collaboration with community providers. Students are trained to provide trauma-informed, youth-centered advocacy. Students must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in Child Rights and Remedies. Enrollment is limited, and students must obtain permission from Professor Jessica Heldman to register. 

Note:

This practicum may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Child Advocacy Practicum - Dependency LEGACY II is LWVL 588

Child Advocacy Practicum - Youth Justice I & II (LWVL503)

Instructor(s): Jessica Heldman

4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)
Prerequisite(s): See course description

Practicum students work with the attorneys in the Juvenile Division of the Public Defender’s Office to represent youth in Juvenile Court proceedings to ensure their legal rights are protected and that they receive the appropriate educational, mental, physical, and other services they need if adjudicated delinquent. Practicum students interview clients, prepare and argue motions, and participate in San Diego’s specialized collaborative Behavioral Health Court program (BHC) for youth with mental health diagnoses who are on probation. Participation in BHC provides interns the opportunity to review comprehensive case files of youth to identify areas of need and then advocate on the youth’s behalf with regard to issues such as special education services, school placement, mental health assessments/services, and health care, in order to address underlying issues that might be contributing to the youth’s delinquency. Youth Justice Practicum interns must work at least 16 hours per week at the Public Defender’s Office. In addition, practicum students meet as a group once per week for a one-hour classroom component. Students must have completed or be enrolled in Evidence, Civil Procedure and Child Rights and Remedies. Clinic slots are limited; students must obtain a permission slip from Professor Jessica Heldman to register for the course.

Note:

This practicum may be applied as the required clinic for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Please note this practicum has been renamed - it used to be named Child Advocacy Clinic: Youth Justice I & II.

Child Advocacy Practicum - Youth Justice II is LWVL 504.

Consumer Justice Clinic I (Formerly Civil Clinic I) (LWVL510)

Instructor(s): Joe Villasenor

2-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD)
Recommended Class(es): Civil Procedure, Evidence, Trial Advocacy

Students interview, counsel and represent clients at Superior Court or in administrative hearings in a wide variety of cases under the supervision of an attorney. Students draft pleadings and correspondence, as well as confer and negotiate with opposing counsel/parties. Weekly group meetings are combined with individual case conferences to provide intensive personal training in litigation techniques, problem solving and case management. Students also learn general civil litigation practice and procedures.

Students interested in working in the clinics for either academic credit or as a volunteer must first fill out and submit the USD Legal Clinics Application for Law Students . Clinic staff will review your application and confirm enrollment. 

Note:

There are limitations on JD concentration eligibility. Please check the Civil Litigation Concentration web page for more information.

Consumer Justice Clinic II (Formerly Civil Clinic II) (LWVL511)

Instructor(s): Joe Villasenor

1-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD)
Prerequisite(s): Civil Procedure, Civil Clinic I
Recommended Class(es): Civil Procedure, Evidence, Trial Advocacy

Clinic II interns refine their skills, working on complex cases and cases already begun as Clinic I interns. Students may mentor first time clinic participants, serve as lead attorney on cases, and have additional opportunities to appear in court or administrative proceedings. Supervising attorneys/adjunct professors provide individualized coaching, based on the Clinic II interns’ needs and interests.

Students interested in working in the clinics for either academic credit or as a volunteer must first fill out and submit the USD Legal Clinics Application for Law Students . Clinic staff will review your application and confirm enrollment. 

Note: There are limitations on JD concentration eligibility. Please check the Civil Litigation Concentration web page for more information.
Additional Information: Civil Litigation Concentration

Corporate Counsel Externship I (LWVL591)

Instructor(s): Beth Baier

1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Intellectual Property (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG)

The Corporate Counsel Externship Program consists of a work component and a class component and allows students to earn academic credit working in the legal department of a corporation, company or other business entity. Students must work during the academic session for a minimum of 50 hours per unit of credit and may receive 1-6 credits. Academic requirements include mandatory orientation; student journals; discussion boards on legal practice topics; a reflective paper at the end of the semester; a work product sample;and on-site supervisor evaluation. For purposes of corporate counsel externship work, the academic session is from the official start of classes to the last day of final exams. No academic credit may be earned for corporate counsel externship work outside this time period.

If you have been offered and have accepted a field placement, meet the eligibility requirements, agree to meet the course obligations and want to register for the Externship course, fill out the Field Placement Form. After you submit the form, the Office of Career and Professional Development will review it and send you an email with directions on how to enroll.

If you have any placement questions, read the FAQ's. If the FAQ's do not answer your field placement questions, contact the Office of Career and Professional Development at lawcareers@sandiego.edu.

Note:

There are limitations on JD concentration eligibility. Please check the JD concentrations web pages for more information. Contact Law Student Affairs to find out if your work in this externship qualifies for the concentration.

Corporate Counsel Externship II (LWVL589)

Instructor(s): Beth Baier

1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Intellectual Property (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG)

Externship II students refine their skills, with a longer opportunity to specialize their training in a specific area. Externship II is limited to students who have previously worked at a Corporate Counsel Externship placement. Please refer to Corporate Counsel Externship I description for additional requirements.

Additional Information: Field Placement Program Page