The Clinic is taught in conjunction with the Stanford Community Law Clinic (SCLC). At the SCLC, students work on behalf of individual clients, primarily in the areas of housing, employment, and government benefits. Under the close supervision of the experienced attorneys at the Clinic, students handle all aspects of client matters, from initial interview through hearing, trial or other resolution. The Seminar is designed to help introduce students to many of the skills and strategies needed to be effective advocates for their clients.
Students initially receive introductory training in essential lawyering skills, including interviewing, counseling, fact and theory development, and negotiation. In addition, students receive training as needed in carrying out discovery and in preparing for a hearing or trial. More broadly, students learn about the public interest problems confronting low-income, multi-ethnic communities, including the availability of legal services (or lack thereof). Throughout the semester, students are exposed to a variety of approaches for dealing with public interest law problems such as litigation, legislation, administrative hearings, media work, coalition building and community education and organizing.
As part of the Seminar, students also work on a "Project" to try to develop creative strategies for addressing in a broader, more systematic way some of the issues that impact significant numbers of clients and community members. For example, a significant number of SCLC clients work in local area restaurants and are paid less than minimum wage and/or are subjected to illegal working conditions. In past iterations of the course, students have collaborated as part of a team to develop creative strategies for dealing with the unfair business practices that cause these problems. At the end of the semester, students are asked to submit a Project Paper, which can be used to satisfy the Law School's writing requirement. The Seminar grade is based on the student's skills training participation, Seminar contributions, Project Paper, and work at the SCLC.