Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, the UCLA School of Law is
often more closely associated with entertainment law than public
interest. But the school’s program in Public Interest Law and
Policy garners nationwide praise.
The program is oriented toward both studying public interest
problems like homelessness in downtown Los Angeles and enacting
public policy changes.
It is different from most public interest programs at top law
schools around the country for many reasons, from its admission
process to the way it’s governed.
The program, which began in 1995, was reviewed by the law school
two years ago. It was during this reapproval process that the
program received many accolades from students, faculty and
staff.
“The single most important aspect of the program was
identified as the community that is created by the virtue of the
program,” said Catherine Mayorkas, director of public
interest programs.
The emphasis on allowing law students to interact with each
other, their curricula and their communities attracts many
applicants.
But many faculty and staff members fear recent fee increases and
budget cuts will deter students from applying since they already
face lower-paying jobs than corporate lawyers once they
graduate.
With only 25 slots open and 500 applicants each year, the
program tends to accept students who are older, more mature and
more sensitive to a variety of cultural communities, said Professor
Richard Abel.
Many of the students accepted already have public interest
experience and have decided their future career paths. This is
unlike the average law school student, who typically decides what
field of law to enter during his or her second or third year.
“The strength of the program is that the students are a
self-identified group of people who know what they want on the
first day of law school,” Professor Gary Blasi said.
Colin Bailey, a second-year student in the program with an
additional concentration in critical race studies, said students
are treated to distinct advantages while in the program.
Before applying to the UCLA School of Law, Bailey engaged in a
public policy fellowship with the California Environmental
Protection Agency. It was there that he realized he wanted to
pursue a career in public interest.
“I was influenced by the people there ““ they had law
degrees but were using it in policy areas. … New light was shed
through public service,” Bailey said.
After his fellowship, Bailey applied to the school’s
program, which had already been named one of the top programs in
the nation.
As a student in the program, Bailey has taken advantage of
numerous courses and has experienced much in the field of public
interest.
Taking the opportunity to enroll in classes with professors who
are experts in their fields is one of the main reasons the program
is successful, students say.
Impressed by the experience and knowledge of his professors,
Bailey cited Blasi’s “Clinical Seminar in Public Policy
Advocacy” as an example of a course that instills the
practical skills needed to practice public interest law.
The class consisted of students working with grassroots
organizations, the media and legislators, and students
“learned how all these things work together to affect public
policy,” Blasi said.
“In doing the work, we saw the tremendous network of
people the professor knew … you realized how he … developed and
organized the field of slumlord housing litigation,” Bailey
said.
In addition to the practical courses students take as part of
the program, resources such as the Public Interest Office are
available.
It was through the help of this office and the subsequent
networking that Bailey was able to fly halfway across the world to
study health and human rights at the World Health Organization in
Geneva, Switzerland.