Legislative and Regulatory Process Clinic

Course Description

Fieldwork

Each student will work five days a week in a federal agency, congressional office or non-governmental organization. The objective is to provide hands-on experience with how governmental entities approach policy issues, including determining the appropriate response to an issue via various possible administrative actions; compiling an adequate record to support the selected action; evaluating private interest advocacy in influencing decisions; and analyzing and assisting in shaping the competing strategies to achieve the desired objectives. Every effort will be made to assure placements that provide students with solid substantive work and adequate supervision. Placements will be dependent in part on a student’s experiences and interests.

Seminar

The seminar will provide an understanding of how the political institutions (Congress and the Executive Branch) work, and the roles and obligations of lawyers in influencing that process. For up to one hour of each class, one or more students will discuss their experiences in their fieldwork. In addition, each student will be expected to produce a serious research/analytical paper, with a minimum length of 35 pages, on a subject approved by the seminar professor(s). The paper will be due no later than the beginning of Spring Break of the semester following the clinic.

Application Procedure

Students interested in applying for the clinic should submit the standard application, resume, and transcript online through CAMS by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. CAMS will open for submissions beginning on February 20, 2025.

Admission preference will be given to those with 2L courses in advanced administrative law or other government policy courses and those with demonstrated motivation to engage in the work of the agencies or Congress. Interviews will be conducted on select days during the week of March 3, and notifications will be made by March 13. Note that students who are offered and accept a position in the Fall 2025 LRP Clinic will not be eligible to apply for additional clinics offered in the 2025-26 academic year.

* 14 credits includes 8 clinical (fieldwork) credits and 6 academic seminar credits for the semester.