Human Rights Clinic

Home   >  Clinics   >  Human Rights Clinic

The Human Rights Clinic recently contributed to three "shadow reports" submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in anticipation of the upcoming review of the United States' compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in Geneva in October 2013.

• Click here to read the shadow report on Domestic Violence, Gun Violence, and "Stand Your Ground" Laws
• Click here to read the shadow report on U.S. Deportations to Haiti
• Click here to read the shadow report on Youth Incarcerated in Adult Prisons in the U.S.

Miami-Dade County Commission Passes Resolution Drafted By HRC Students Declaring That "Freedom From Domestic Violence Is A Fundamental Human Right"

HRC students' resolution declaring that "freedom from domestic violence is a fundamental human right" is approved by Miami-Dade County Commission.

Read a Miami Herald op-ed co-authored by HRC student Michael Stevenson and Commissioner Sally Heyman about the resolution. For a Miami Law story about the resolution, click here.

UN Expert, UM Clinics Call For Halt To Deportations To Haiti

The U.N.'s Independent Expert on human rights in Haiti, as well as UM Clinics and South Florida immigration advocates, have renewed their call on the United States, Dominican Republic and others to halt deportations to Haiti. To learn more, click on the links below.

• Press Release
• UN report, Forced returns of Haitians from third states
• Miami Herald news article
• Read the statement presented on July 3, 2012 at the United Nations Human Rights Council by the ACLU, UM's Human Rights and Immigration Clinics, and others concerning Haitian deportations from the U.S. following the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
• ACLU delivers a statement on behalf of several groups at UNHRC urging US government to refrain from deporting Haitians (July 4, 2012).

Jessica Lenahan Wins Landmark Case Before Inter-American Commission On Human Rights

Click here to learn more about Jessica Lenahan (Gonzales) v. United States

Read about Highlights of the Human Rights Clinic

• Fall 2011-Spring 2012
• Spring 2011-Fall 2011

The Human Rights Clinic exposes students to the practice of law in the international and cross-cultural context of human rights litigation and advocacy.

Through an intensive critical seminar, students examine the actors, subjects, and tools of the human rights movement, as well as critiques coming from left and right. Specifically, the seminar considers the evolution of the human rights movement, how to locate litigation in human rights work, the difficulties in applying 'traditional' human rights methodology beyond the civil and political rights context, the developing human rights movement in the United States, and economic issues that arise in human rights norms and analysis.

The critical seminar lays out an analytic framework for much of the course, and it is combined with a skills seminar, which introduces students to specially-tailored exercises to familiarize them with international human rights practice. In addition, guest speakers will cover both substantive themes in human rights and provide guidance in skills-oriented exercises.

In the seminar, students participate in exercises and discussions that develop fundamental lawyering and advocacy skills including:

• Interviewing techniques, fact investigation and development
• Project and case organization and management
• Legal drafting, and oral and written advocacy (including media advocacy)
• Ethics and professional development, and collaborative project work

To bridge theory and practice, the Human Rights Clinic provides students with hands-on experience working on active human rights cases and projects. Students apply and test the skills-training and critical examinations imparted through classroom instruction and simulations in the context of real-world advocacy. Working in partnership with experienced attorneys and institutions engaged in human rights activism, both in the United States and abroad, students contribute to effecting positive change locally and globally as they hone their professional skills.

Clinic projects cover the full range of human rights advocacy, though in particular, projects will focus on:

1. Human rights advocacy in the United States (particularly South Florida), Latin America, and the Caribbean
2. Transnational/international human rights litigation, especially in the Inter-American human rights system
3. Human rights in post-earthquake Haiti
4. Women's and migrants' human rights
5. Cross-clinic collaborations (with human rights clinic partners in Latin America)

Duration: One-Semester Clinic (Fall 2012)

Credits: 6

Enrollment*: For Fall 2012, the clinic will accept 6-8 J.D. (2L & 3L) students and 1-2 LL.M. students.

Prerequisites: Commitment to social justice and human rights advocacy. Completion or concurrent enrollment in a basic human rights or international law course is expected.

Time Requirements: This clinic entails a very substantial time commitment in addition to the time spent preparing for and attending class. Clinic class meets for one hour and fifty minutes, twice weekly. Students are expected to spend approximately 15-18 hours per week on clinic project/case work.

Contact Information

For questions, contact clinicapplication@law.miami.edu.

Caroline Bettinger-López
Associate Professor of Clinical Legal Education
Director, Human Rights Clinic
(305) 284-5923, E-256
clopez@law.miami.edu

Kelleen Corrigan
Practitioner-in-Residence, Human Rights Clinic
(305) 284-5112, E-263
kcorrigan@law.miami.edu

Support Staff

Rose Dominguez
Paralegal
(305) 284-4542
rdominguez@law.miami.edu

Danny Vargas
Paralegal
(305) 284-8537
dvargas@law.miami.edu

Mary Cruz
Legal Assistant
(305) 284-1685
mcruz1@law.miami.edu

APPLY TO THIS CLINIC

* Students may not withdraw from the Human Rights Clinic once they have accepted, absent permission from the Clinic Director.