Academic Calendar

Course Descriptions

Clinical Programs

Golden Gate has one of the most extensive clinical legal education programs in the country. Students earn academic credit while working under the supervision of a full-time faculty member and a practicing attorney.

Handbooks, Application and Information:

• Student Clinic Handbook.
• Clinic Supervising Attorney Handbook.
• Field Placement Application Form
• Field Placement Program Frequently Asked Questions

The on-site clinics operate as law offices within the School of Law, providing legal representation to low-income individuals and community groups who would not otherwise be able to afford legal counsel.

Environmental Law and Justice Clinic (ELJC)
Clinic Director: Associate Professor Helen Kang
Students provide direct representation to community groups and environmental organizations in low-income and minority communities disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation.

Women's Employment Rights Clinic
Clinic Director: Professor Marci Seville
Supervising Attorney: Hina Shah, Visiting Professor and Clinical Staff Attorney
Students represent clients in employment disputes including unemployment insurance appeals, race and sex discrimination, sexual harassment, family and medical leave, and wage and hour claims. Capital Post-Conviction Defense Clinic
Civil Field Placement Clinic
Criminal Litigation Clinic
Environmental Law Clinic
Environmental LLM Externship
Judicial Externships
Lawyering Skills: Client Advocacy
Pro Bono Tax Clinic
Real Estate Clinic

In field placement clinics, students work under faculty supervision and the supervision of judges and attorneys in government agencies, law offices, counsel offices, and judges' chambers. Students also attend a seminar to share experiences and insights and to focus on the substantive nature of their work. The Externship Supervisor and Extern Agreement form may be downloaded.

LAW 896J Capital Post-Conviction Defense Clinic
Faculty supervisor: Adjunct Professor Patricia Kern (contact: pkern@capsf.org or phone (415) 495-0500)
Students attend a weekly seminar and work on capital cases at the California Appellate Project, a non-profit serving the largest population of condemned individuals in the country. Students research and draft pleadings and investigate post-conviction claims for death row inmates. To apply mail, fax, or email a completed application form, found in the back of the Clinical Legal Education Program Student Handbook, and a resume to the attention of Patricia Kern, Deputy Director of the California Appellate Project (CAP), 101 Second Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, California 94105; fax: (415) 495-5616.

LAW 896A Civil Field Placement Clinic
Faculty supervisors: Adjunct Professors Susan Schechter, Cheryl Stevens, and Jennifer Wyllie-Pletcher
Students work in private or non-profit law offices, government agencies, or business legal departments as law clerks, working on civil litigation or engaging in transactional work. Students also attend seminar class meetings. Students may work in a wide variety of areas such as civil rights, corporate law, entertainment law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, and personal injury law. Formerly Civil Practice Clinic, Family Law Clinic, and Public Interest/Government Counsel Clinic.

LAW 896F Criminal Litigation Clinic
Program Director: Professor Susan Rutberg; Adjunct Professor Lisa Dewberry (contact: lisa_dewberry@dewberrylaw.com)
Students work as law clerks in a variety of trial and post-conviction prosecution or defense agencies supervised by experienced criminal lawyers and faculty. Students certified by the California State Bar may appear in court under supervision. Students also attend a weekly seminar to explore broader criminal justice issues and to learn from guest practitioners and each other.

LAW 834I Environmental Law Clinic
Clinic director: Professor Clifford Rechtschaffen
Faculty supervisor: Adjunct Professors Danielle Fugere and Christopher Sproul
Students work in government agencies, public interest groups, or environmental organizations engaged in environmental practice.

LLM 375E Environmental LLM Externship
Faculty supervisor: Professor Alan Ramo
LLM Environmental students work at an organization, agency or firm engaged in environmental law.

LAW 896C Judicial Externships
Faculty supervisors: Associate Dean Susanne Aronowitz and Director Jody Lerner
Students work in judges' chambers at all levels of state and federal courts with a full range of judicial assignments including courts handling civil trials, family and juvenile law, bankruptcy, law and motion, criminal law, and appellate matters.

LAW 824D Lawyering Skills: Client Advocacy
Faculty supervisor: Adjunct Professor Katie Danielson
Students learn counseling, interviewing, and negotiating skills through simulations, then act as advocates for real clients through the Homeless Advocacy Project, which is sponsored by the Bar Association of San Francisco.

LLM 306 Pro Bono Tax Clinic
Faculty supervisor: Professor Kimberly Stanley
The Pro Bono Tax Clinic provides students with the opportunity to assist low-income individuals in certain tax disputes before the California Board of Equalization ("BOE"). Under the direct supervision of a BOE attorney, the students provide legal assistance with claims involving Renter's Assistance Credits, California Residency issues, and Head of Household status, among other issues. The students meet regularly with a BOE attorney who instructs them about the relevant law and assists them in the development of their clients' factual and legal arguments. The students draft procedural letters, legal memoranda and briefs that are submitted to the BOE. Students may also have the opportunity to argue the client's case at a BOE hearing.

All GGU JD's and LLM Tax students are eligible to participate in the Pro Bono Tax Clinic. There is no prerequisite for this course, although Federal Income Tax or Characterization of Income & Expenditures is recommended. Students can earn up to a maximum of 2 units for participation in the Clinic. All units can transfer to the LLM Tax degree.

LAW 883 Real Estate Clinic
Faculty supervisors: Professor Roger Bernhardt and Adjunct Professor Christine Tour-Sarkissian
Students work in law firms that specialize in, or do considerable work in, real estate. Working under the direct supervision of attorneys, students interview clients, draft pleadings and motions, and participate in trial preparation and trials. On the transactional side, they draft provisions for leases, sales contracts, closing papers, loan documents, and other real estate instruments.