Public Service

Discussion — 4 units. An introduction to environmental law, focusing primarily on federal law.  Includes coverage of the historical development of environmental law, including the transition from common law to statutory law; the role of courts, the legislature, and the executive branch in the development and implementation of environmental policy; allocation of authority among different levels of government; the role of market forces in environmental decisions; and the major regulatory strategies that have been applied to control environmental harm.

King Hall’s Environmental Externship allows students to earn academic credit in the fall and spring semesters in a variety of environmental law settings. Past placements have included state and federal agencies, and nonprofits, including Earthjustice and the Sierra Club.

Environs is a biannual environmental law and policy journal that provides an open forum for the discussion of current environmental issues, particularly those pertaining to the state of California. Grading is on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. The following student positions comprise the enrollment of this journal:

Discussion — 2 or 3 units. An introduction to the legal regulation of the family. Coverage will include laws and public policies governing marriage and non-marital relationships; parentage; the economic consequences of marital and non-marital dissolutions; child custody and visitation; child support; and interstate jurisdictional issues.

Final Assessment: Exam
Grading Mode: Letter Grading

Fall semester only (2025-2026): Students provide holistic, client-centered civil legal assistance and representation to survivors of gender-based violence primarily by staffing a community walk-in pro per restraining order clinic; providing consultations to survivors of gender-based violence participating in Title IX cases and related civil matters responsive to clients’ individual goals; and creating a community outreach or research project.

King Hall’s State and Federal Tax Externship allows students to earn academic credit in the fall and spring semesters with federal and state governmental tax agencies. Typical assignments include legal research, analysis and writing, and observation of administrative appeals hearings when possible.

Discussion — 3 units.  The course addresses law and policy issues in health care financing and access to health care. Course materials and discussion draw from current events as well as case law, statutes and regulations. Course design contextualizes issues to surface role of structural, institutional, and cultural inequalities in health care.

Discussion — 3  or 4 units. This course will cover legal issues and policies pertaining to foreign nationals seeking to migrate permanently or temporarily to the United States, including the regulation of their admission and removal or deportation. This course will examine critically how and why the rights of foreign nationals who are in U.S. territory differ from the rights of citizens. These topics will be covered from various perspectives, including constitutional law, human rights, ethics and morality, and history.

The Immigration Law Clinic (ILC) provides legal representation to indigent non-citizens in removal proceedings before U.S. Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and federal courts,including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The ILC provides this necessary service to Northern California's immigrant communities, offering education and legal services to low-income immigrants facing deportation while enabling students to gain practical, real-world experience.

Discussion — 3 units.  This course provides an overview of the structure and basic principles of international environmental law and policy. The course considers the challenge of addressing global environmental problems in a system characterized by multiple sovereign governments, the regulatory limitations of U.S. law, and the basic structure and principles of international environmental law, as well as substantive areas such as climate change, biodiversity and wildlife protection, and the intersection of international trade and the environment.