Clinical Law Prof Blog

Award-Winning Documentary on Workers' Rights and Community Organizing Available for Purchase

For law courses and clinics addressing labor and employment, human rights, immigration, public policy, civil rights, law and activism, social justice lawyering and poverty. A DAY’S WORK, A DAY’S PAY follows three welfare recipients in New York City from 1997 to 2000 as they participate in one of the largest and most aggressive workfare programs in the nation, the Work Experience Program. They face major obstacles such as laws that classify them as non-workers, a mayor and general public that is unsympathetic to their plight, and a national anti-welfare sentiment that stigmatizes them further. When faced with the injustices of workfare, these welfare recipients become leaders, demanding jobs creation, health and safety protections and a grievance procedure for workfare workers.

A DAY’S WORK, A DAY’S PAY provides law students with a concrete example of how laws impact real people. Through its up-close portrayal of political activism, the film explores the fascinating interplay of the political process, popular mobilizations and the evolution of American law. When the bills that the welfare recipients have been fighting for are passed, vetoed, veto overruled, then thrown back into the courts, viewers are left with important questions and opportunities for discussion about where real change happens and how. A DAY’S WORK, A DAY’S PAY was broadcast on PBS and won the prestigious Harry Chapin Media Award.

"This powerful film dramatically portrays the real-life impact that law has on human beings. It shows how welfare recipients can be organized to stand up for their rights, and in the process transform themselves from victims of the system to citizens who take control of their lives and futures." —Stephen Wizner, Professor of Law, Yale Law School

"This remarkable film is about mean social policy and the impressive efforts of grassroots organizations to fight back. Documentaries often fail to tell both the human and the political story. A DAY’S WORK, A DAY’S PAY tells both."—Peter Edelman, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center

" *** (Three Stars) Recommended! A well-shot, nicely edited piece of documentary journalism that effectively manages to convey both the frustrations of individuals caught in the web of welfare and their growing political empowerment through grassroots activism." –Video Librarian

To purchase a copy, click here. -jl

ABA Journal: "Who Isn't a Lawyer on Obama's Transition Team?"

The ABA Journal article Better Question: Who Isn’t a Lawyer on Obama’s Transition Team? notes "President-elect Barack Obama and his VP-elect Joe Biden wasted no time assembling their transition team, which features a number of attorneys." The article goes on to list the impressive array of attorneys on Team Obama Biden. -jl

Howard University's Fair Housing Clinic to Host People's Law Day

Brian Gilmore, Adjunct Professor and Staff Attorney for the Fair Housing Clinic at Howard University School of Law has announced the law school will host a panel discussion entitled The Coming World: Fair & Affordable Housing in the 21st Century. The event will be held on October 17, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and panelists include:

Mary Hahn, Director, Fair Housing Project - Washington Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
Oramenta Newsome, Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation ( LISC)
Wendell Pritchett, Law Professor, Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Law & Advisor to Presidential Candidate Barack Obama.

There is no cost for the session and reception, but registration is required. To register, please contact the Howard University School of Law Fair Housing Clinic at (202) 806-8267 or register online.

A copy of the program may be downloaded here. Download 2008_peoples_law_day1.pdf  -jl

University of Hawai'i Announces Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law

Dean Aviam Soifer of the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa recently announced the school's receipt of a federal grant of nearly $600,000 that will establish a Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law at the school. According to a recent press release, "the center is committed to doing extensive community outreach work throughout Hawai‘i. It will also offer new courses and encourage and support Native Hawaiian law students as they pursue legal careers and leadership roles."