Imagine if lawyers, judges, and decision makers used rigorous evidence to design and run the U.S. justice system. They could: Enable far more people, especially those who can’t afford to hire lawyers, to access civil justice;Make the criminal justice system fairer and more efficient; andPromote the dignity and respect of individuals and families as they…
Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising
The primary goal of the Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising (OPIA) is to encourage law school students and lawyers to incorporate an ongoing commitment to public service work throughout their careers. We view our role as one of helping students and alumni find a vision of the type of work they want to…
Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School advocates for legal, regulatory, and policy reforms to improve the health of vulnerable populations. CHLPI is a clinical teaching program that houses the Health Law and Policy Clinic (HLPC) and the Food Law and Policy Clinic (FLPC), and mentors students to become skilled,…
Charles Hamilton Houston Institute
The Houston Institute approaches public policy through “Community Justice.” This approach reflects both Charles Hamilton Houston’s admonition that “all our struggles must tie together” and a fundamental truth about public policy-making: in the United States, public policies are formulated by the few to serve the few. The standard policy-making mechanisms reward those who participate in…
Child Advocacy Program
“The Child Advocacy Program (CAP) at Harvard Law School is committed to advancing children’s interests through facilitating productive interaction between academia and the world of policy and practice, and through training generations of students to contribute in their future careers to law reform and social change. We are committed to a broad vision of advocacy,…
Clinical and Pro Bono Programs
The Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs (OCP) is an academic, student services, and administrative office which oversees the clinical education and pro bono activities. OCP advises students; provides leadership and resources for Harvard Law School faculty and staff in the clinics and SPOs; promotes best practices; manages curriculum planning and student registration; and…
Criminal Justice Institute
The Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) offers a unique union of classroom instruction and hands-on experience for students who represent indigent adults and juvenile clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges in the Boston criminal courts. CJI also performs research in a variety of criminal justice areas and provides valuable educational experiences. Students are assigned cases in…
Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic
Advocating for immigrant justice through clinical education, legal representation, litigation, and community outreach….
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
The Harvard Legal Aid Bureau is a student-run civil legal aid organization committed to providing free representation to low-income and marginalized communities in the Greater Boston area. Students and staff aim to provide these services in a way that responds to the systemic…
Housing Law Clinic
The Housing Law Clinic represents tenants who are facing evictions by private market and subsidized landlords. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the Housing Justice for Survivors Project which represents tenants facing housing instability as a result of domestic or sexual violence. The bulk of the clinic’s work consists of litigation in the…