A few months ago, I mentioned our new UCLA First Amendment Amicus Brief Clinic; I’m happy to see that Southwestern Law School is also setting up an amicus brief project, though operating in a different way and covering a broader range of topics:
The Amicus Project at Southwestern Law School is a professional outreach program that enables law students and legal experts to work together on amicus briefs for pro bono cases. A central component of the Amicus Project is Southwestern’s Amicus Project Practicum, a course in which individual students are selected to research and write a brief under the supervision of a law professor or practicing attorney.
Case referrals for the Amicus Project are welcome, and potential cases will be reviewed on an on-going basis. Amicus Project cases can arise in any jurisdiction, and there is no subject-matter or procedural limitation. Case selection is based on a variety of considerations, including legal significance, social significance, inquiry by an interested party, jurisdiction, service to the profession, as well as faculty interest and expertise.
Those interested in shepherding a pro bono brief as an amicus supervisor, those seeking an amicus representation for a specific case, and prospective case sponsors can find additional information at http://www.swlaw.edu/amicusproject.
Contact Prof. Michael Epstein, Amicus Project Director, amicusproject@swlaw.edu