LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic

In the LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic (LAC), students work on cutting-edge issues involving LGBTQ+ rights, with a particular emphasis on issues affecting underrepresented communities within the LGBTQ+ community. Clinic offerings include local and national projects covering the spectrum of LGBTQ+ issues. Students will have the opportunity to engage in a range of work encompassing various strategies for advancing LGBTQ+ rights, including impact litigation and amicus work, policy and legislative advocacy, and direct legal services for LGBTQ+ clients.

Most students work on cutting-edge projects and case work under the direct supervision of Clinic Director Alexander Chen, while some student work off-campus with non-profit organizations.

Visit the LGBTQ+ Clinic’s website for more information.

In addition, as this Clinic is part of the Legal Services Center (LSC), you are encouraged to visit LSC’s Clinical Student FAQs page.  There you will find helpful information about all manner of topics relevant to students, including the travel subsidy LSC provides to students and the shuttle van LSC operates for students.

What Students Are Saying About Their Experiences in the Clinic

“There aren’t that many trans lawyers. We’re so lucky not only to work with two of the best trans lawyers, but two of the best lawyers for LGBTQ+ litigation. Working with them and seeing their commitment has been really inspiring.” 

“It’s a great honor to be able to participate in a lot of different facets within the movement. In addition to gaining on-the-ground lawyering skills that I know I’ll use in my career as a litigator, I’ve also been privy to a lot of important and interesting discussions…about what causes we want to prioritize and what the best method of challenging specific harms is, be it policy or impact litigation.” 

“It’s helpful to see how they [Professor Alex Chen and Clinical Instructor Anya Marino] communicate with each other and with us and with outside counsel, giving us an example of how that’s done… as I head into my career, I think I’ve been spoiled with this clinic.” 

“It’s insane the amount I’ve learned from this clinic – about constitutional law, about the queer rights movement, about myself, about my career aspirations. It’s been very meaningful to me in my law school career.” 

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