Education Law Project

The Center’s Education Law Project (ELP) harnesses the unique skillset of law students, legal educators, and practitioners to enhance the educational and career opportunities of students from underserved communities in New York City. Professor Richard Marsico serves as Project Director. The ELP is currently involved in the following initiatives:

Charter High School for Law and Social Justice
The Charter High School for Law and Social Justice will provide a path to a legal career for students from underserved communities. The Charter High School is currently in the development stage. The Planning Committee brings together experts in legal education, law practice, and teaching, and is scheduled to submit the application for the High School in 2013. For more information, click here.

Legal Outreach Constitutional Debate Program
Legal Outreach is an organization that uses the law as a tool to foster skills and inspire vision among students from underserved areas around New York City. Students involved in the Constitutional Debate Program participate in four debates per year on topics that range from Search & Seizure and Freedom of Speech to Equal Protection and Miranda Rights. The Education Law Project partners with Legal Outreach by recruiting Law Student volunteers and providing space for the program. For more information, click here.

Legal Outreach Summer Law Institute
The Education Law Project works with Legal Outreach on the Summer Law Institute, a five-week intensive course of study for students in the New York City public school system. Students participate the summer before their ninth grade, learning about criminal justice and the trial process and conducting a mock trial. The program also teaches students critical education and workskills such as time management, writing, and test-taking to help prepare them for high school. For more information, click here.

Street Law
The Street Law Program offers law students the opportunity to introduce middle and high school students to their constitutional rights. Law students instruct on topics such as search and seizure laws, police interaction inside and outside of school, the 14th Amendment and the equal protection of the law, reproductive rights, and terrorism. The high school students also prepare a moot court exercise, and the program culminates when students present their arguments before a panel comprised of associates and partners at Fried Frank; Harris, Shriver, and Jacobson LLP. For more information, click here.