Street Law Clinic

Helping At-risk Youth in Our Community

Students enrolled in the Street Law Clinic teach law-related critical life skills to youth in Los Angeles, most of whom are involved in the dependency or juvenile court system. Many of these young students also have learning disabilities, which qualifies them for special education services.  Law students step into the roles of teacher, mentor, and advocate to empower at-risk youth to make better choices, overcome adversity, and build stronger futures. The participatory lessons taught by the clinic law students inform the teenagers about their rights and the laws that apply to them and provide legal information and resources they need to successfully transition to independent living and adulthood.

The Street Law Clinic provides Southwestern students the opportunity to enrich their own legal education while gaining an appreciation of the importance of providing public service to the greater community. The course was created by Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner, Laura Dym Cohen, during her tenure at Southwestern and is now taught by Professor Laura Wesley, who has extensive experience in the area of children’s and public interest law.

Southwestern students may find the application and other Legal Clinic details on the Portal (log-in required).