Study

This three-credit integrated externship will immerse students in the theory, practice, and politics of movement lawyering.  The course proceeds in two parts: a weekly seminar and field work.  In the seminar, students learn the foundations and tactics of movement activism, and discover how lawyers work with social movements to build power and create change.  In the field work portion, students are paired with lawyers and organizers from around the United States to produce legal analyses, policy papers, legislative reviews, rapid response documents, outreach materials, and more.  All of our work is led by community organizations and activists working in directly-impacted communities, with a special emphasis on racial and LGBTQ+ justice.

Course enrollment is by application.  Students interested in applying for the course should submit a statement of interest about their background, why they would like to enroll in the course, and how they plan to use the skills they learn in the course.  Please also write a response to the following: “talk about a time you did something that you once thought was impossible.”  Statements should be sent to Bobbi Pabon, bobbi.pabon@duke.edu, no later than 5 pm on August 2nd.  The seminar will meet weekly at a mutually-agreed-upon time and place.

Fall 2021

Course Number	Course Credits	Evaluation Method	Instructor
639.01	Course Credits 3	Reflective Writing Research and/or analytical paper(s), 5-10 pages Group project(s) Practical exercises Class participation	Anne Gordon
Sakai site: https://sakai.duke.edu/portal/site/LAW.639.01.F21
Email list: LAW.639.01.F21@sakai.duke.edu