This coming fall, Make the Road New York and New York University will collaborate to begin the Law, Organizing, and Social Change Clinic at the NYU School of Law. The Clinic will be co-taught by MRNY staff, and between eight and twelve students will work at MRNY for close to twenty hours each week throughout the year to support and learn from the innovative mix of policy, community organizing, and legal work MRNY is doing.

NYU School of Law Dean Richard Revesz commented: "We are excited to be collaborating with Make the Road New York, an initiative that was founded by NYU Law graduates who were trained in our ground-breaking clinical and advocacy programs. We are pleased that future NYU Law students will learn from MRNY’s successful model and develop the skills they need to partner creatively and effectively with the communities they wish to serve."

Students will learn organizing history and methodology, be introduced to the background and needs of the largely Latin American communities served by MRNY, and will explore the social change model that MRNY has developed to tackle those needs. Students will wrestle with the philosophical underpinnings of MRNY’s work as well as the day-to-day practices of the organization’s legal department.

Students will receive extensive training in civil trial practice, including substantive law, evidence, and procedure as a foundation for thoughtful client representation in court and administrative venues. Students will also receive training in media advocacy and advocacy to legislative, administrative and executive policymakers. Students will delve deeply into the particular skill sets required for high-level professional organizing, policy advocacy and legal work. Students will also learn more about how institutional values can inform personnel policies and management practices in the non-profit context.

Clinic fieldwork will involve students in organizing, litigation, policy advocacy, media advocacy, and other public education in support of MRNY’s organizing work.

Teams of students will work on the following MRNY key campaigns: New Immigrants’ Civil Rights, Tenants’ Rights, Workers’ Rights, and Improving Public Education.

The clinic will be taught by Professor Sarah E. Burns and experienced senior lawyers and organizers from Make the Road New York.

We are excited for this partnership to begin!