About a month ago, when the President announced that he was taking executive action to address various issues that would assist about 5.5 million immigrants in this country, lawyers, legal services offices, religious organizations, and law schools around the country stepped up to organize, even at the very busy time of year’s – and semester’s – end, to help in whatever way they could.
For law school immigration clinics, and even for law students not enrolled in clinics but interested in helping and dipping their toes into immigration, students and their teachers experienced, in this call to action, “being in the moment” – with their teachers, with their clinics, and with the people who they will help. That immigration clinic faculty all over the country naturally took up this role modeling, while an automatic response to real need, is both a testament to them and a meaningful example law professors can set for their law students. An issue arose. People needed help. Law students were invited to participate, with their teachers, to help those in need. Law school clinics teamed up with local legal services providers. With religiously-affiliated groups. Community-wide events are being held. Everyone working toward a common, worthy goal. Students witness, and participate in, activist, justice-centered lawyering. That’s best practice.
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Best Practices for Legal Education 