639.01 Movement Lawyering Lab: Law for Black Lives

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
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
Course
Degree Requirements
Course Requirements - JD
Course Requirements - LLM
Course Requirements - Public Interest
Course Areas of Practice