This seminar examines critical pathways for reforming three key institutions at the heart of our criminal justice system: prosecution offices, indigent defense systems, and criminal courts. Students will explore how these institutions function in practice, where they fall short, and what substantive reform might entail.

The course addresses pressing questions at the intersection of law, policy, and social justice: How do race and class shape institutional outcomes? What responsibilities do legal professionals have when working within systems that, at times, produce injustice? How can institutional design promote both accountability and effectiveness?

This seminar offers future attorneys a unique opportunity to step back from doctrine and consider larger questions about justice, equity, and the role of legal professionals in institutional reform. Students will emerge with practical insights into how lawyers can drive meaningful change within the criminal justice system, whether as prosecutors, defenders, judges, policymakers, or impact litigators.

Recommended for the following Professional Pathways: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties; Criminal Defense; Criminal Prosecution; Family Law; Government/Public Sector; General Practice—Litigation/Dispute Resolution

3 Credits