California Western School of Law (San Diego)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Susan G. Finster
Student & Disability Services
Tel: (619) 515-1575
Fax: (619) 615-1428
sfinster@cwsl.edu
Clinical Program
Some of the placements in the school's Clinical Internship Program are with organizations representing individuals with disability-related legal matters.
Organizations
The Public Interest Law Foundation
Dedicated to promoting awareness among law students of the inequities that exist in the legal system and the need for commitment for public service work. Public interest law includes, but is not limited to, issues concerning child advocacy, disability advocacy, mental health advocacy, veterans, elderly rights, and HIV/AIDS.
Other Information
California Western School of Law provides a variety of supportive assistance and resources to our students with documented mental and physical disabilities through the Office of Student and Diversity Services. The Assistant Dean for Student and Diversity Services meets with each individual student who requests assistance or accommodations to assess ho best to meet their needs. We provide classroom and exam accommodations.
Chapman University School of Law (Orange)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Jason McAlexander, M.S., M.A.
Director
Phone: (714) 744-7971
Fax: (714) 744-7940
jmcalex@chapman.edu
Chapman University School of Law
410 N. Glassell St.
Orange, CA 92866
http://www.chapman.edu/students/student-health-services/disability-services/index.aspx
Other Information
Students with disabilities may receive testing and other accommodations depending on the severity and nature of their disabilities. This is done through the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Jayne Kacer (714-628-2641). All areas of the law school building are accessible to students with physical handicaps by ramp or wheelchair lifts. The law school has an Academic Achievement Program that is available to all students, including those with disabilities. The program includes workshops on law school success skills, peer tutoring, and individual counseling and instruction by Professor Rich Faulkner, the Director for Academic Achievement (714-628-2663). Law students also have access to the Center for Academic Success on the main campus of the University. The Center is located directly across the street from the law school. Services provided include note takers, interpreters, training on assistive devices and technology, etc. Dr. Lynn Mayer (714-997-6857). Students have access to psychological counseling at the University's Psychological Counseling Services Center. Dr. Jeanne Walker (714-744-7078). They also have access to the Student Health Center on the main campus. Director Jacqueline Deats (714-997-6851). The law school Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, the Psychological Counseling Services Center, and Student Health Center are all able to refer students to community medical and mental health resources, if needed.
Golden Gate University School of Law (San Francisco)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Melissa Matthews, Esq.
Senior Program Coordinator
Law Disability Services
536 Mission Street, 3339
lawds@ggu.edu
(415) 442-6536
Fax (415) 495-6756
http://law.ggu.edu/student-support/disability-services/
Clinical Program
Students may participate in an externship with a disability firm or organization through our Civil Field Placement Clinic.
Other Information
Although we do not currently offer a Disability Law course, Golden Gate University offers a myriad of courses that crossover with disability law. The diversity of curriculum at the Law School allows students to understand and appreciate the role that disability plays in a variety of legal specialties.
Golden Gate University is located in downtown San Francisco, a historical city in many ways and particularly for disability rights. As a result, we are fortunate to be surrounded by some of the top firms in disability law. Interning at these fine organizations and firms is another opportunity that students can enjoy while studying at Golden Gate University.
Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Law School Director of Student Affairs:
Matthew D. Riojas
(213) 736-8151
matthew.riojas@lls.edu
Rocio Cabrera
rocio.cabrera@lls.edu
http://intranet.lls.edu/studentaffairs/disability.html
Disability Accommodations: My LLS
Loyola Law School adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination in its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid and other school-related programs on the basis of sex, age, race, color, religious creed, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, marital, parental or veteran status.
Clinical Program
Disability Rights Legal Center - The Mission of the Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC) is to promote the rights of people with disabilities and the public interest in and awareness of those rights by providing legal and related services. We are located on the campus of Loyola Law School in Downtown Los Angeles and work with Loyola Law students in all of our programs. We have a satellite office on the campus of the University of La Verne College of Law, in the Inland Empire
Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation
The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation is an interdisciplinary center that convenes top thought leaders in disability law and policy; generate and disseminate knowledge at the intersection of disability, technology and innovation; and be a focal point for increasing the pipeline of talented students with disabilities in law, politics and other fields of endeavor. We will be a leader on these issues in California, the United States and internationally.
Pepperdine University, Odell McConnell Law Center (Malibu)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Physical Location:
Office of Student Accessibility
Tyler Campus Center (TCC) #264
Mailing Address:
Disability Services Office
Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263-6500
(310) 506-6500
Fax (310) 506-6776
student. accessibility@pepperdine.edu
http://www.pepperdine.edu/disabilityservices/
Clinical Program
Pepperdine Special Education Advocacy Clinic (PSEAC) empowers parents and families of children with disabilities to be effective advocates by building their knowledge of special education law and teaching them the skills necessary to productively and successfully participate in the processes and procedures involved therein.
http://law.pepperdine.edu/clinical-education/special-education-advocacy-clinic/organizations.htm
Santa Clara University School of Law
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Drahmann Advising Center - Disabilities Resources
Benson Memorial Center Room 216 (2nd Floor)
Maude Nazaire
mnazaire@scu.edu
Santa Clara University
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara CA 95053
http://www.scu.edu/studentlife/disabilities/
Courses
Children and the Law Seminar
Among other things, seminar focuses on the legal rights of children to an education, focusing in particular on the state’s duty to provide special education for disabled minors. In addition, the impact that cultural differences can have on some of these issues. The seminar will then explore the conflicts between the legal rights of children and the state authority within the juvenile justice system to regulate the lives of dependent children and their families.
Employment Discrimination
This course is an introduction to the law of employment discrimination. In general, the course will focus first on the three basic theories of employment discrimination – individual disparate treatment, systemic disparate treatment, and disparate impact – and will then consider the interrelationship of these theories. Will go on to consider in detail a variety of topics including discrimination based on religion and disability discrimination. If time allows, the course also may cover procedures for enforcing antidiscrimination laws, and remedies for employment discrimination.
Housing Discrimination
Exploration of the scope of discrimination in housing in the United States and the nature and adequacy of the legal remedies created to prevent it. Important themes of the class will be differences between the kinds of categories protected by state and federal statutes (e.g., race, sex, disabilities, and marital status) and continuing issues of residential segregation. Topics covered will include proving discrimination, discriminatory advertising, the meaning of race under the 1866 Civil Rights Act, the meaning of “handicap” under the Fair Housing Act, accommodation of persons with disabilities, and discrimination to achieve integration.
Southwestern Law School (Los Angeles)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Calvin Lowery
clowery@swlaw.edu
Southwestern Law School
3050 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 738-6888
Fax (213) 383-1688
disability@swlaw.edu
http://www.swlaw.edu/contact/details/disabilityservices
Student Organization
Southwestern's Children's Rights Clinic offers opportunities to represent youth with special needs in mental health issues as well as in special education proceedings where discipline or behavior is an issue. For more information, please contact Professor Julie Waterstone at 213.738.6621 or childrensrights@swlaw.edu.
Clinical Program
Southwestern’s Externship Office offers enriching placement opportunities in the Disability Rights Legal Center and Mental Health Advocacy Services.
Externship Program
Southwestern's Externship Office offers enriching placement opportunities in the Disability Rights Legal Center, Mental Health Advocacy Services, the ACLU of Southern California, the Alliance for Children's Rights, and Disability Rights California. For more information, please contact the Externship Office at 213.738.6802 or externoffice@swlaw.edu.
Other Information
Southwestern’s Annual Public Interest Summer Grant Program offers grants to many students working for legal service organizations that assist people with disabilities. Southwestern also offers courses such as Disability Law and the Special Education Law Seminar. Programs and events are offered throughout the year to promote awareness and volunteer opportunities.
Stanford Law School
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Office of Student Affairs, Stanford Law School
(650) 725-0764
Office of Accessible Education
563 Salvatierra Walk
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 723-1066
Fax (650) 725-5301
http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/oae
Student Organization
Stanford Association of Law Students for Disability Rights
Other Information
We offer a course entitled Disability Rights, which is a survey course of disability rights law, with an emphasis on landmark federal and state legislation and jurisprudence in the areas of employment, government services, public accommodations, education, housing and personal autonomy. It includes a review of such statutes as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the California Lanterman Act. The course has a "cross-disability" orientation insofar as it addresses the rights and treatment of persons with mobility and communication impairments, as well as developmental and psychiatric disabilities. The course looks at disability from a civil and human rights perspective, rather than from a medical or welfare viewpoint. Some of the issues covered include: the right to refuse treatment, assisted suicide, death penalty for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, reasonable accommodations, institutional mistreatment, de-institutionalization, social integration, educational equity, peer advocacy and self-determination.
Thomas Jefferson School of Law (San Diego)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Angela Bayne
Student Services Assistant Director
abayne@tjsl.edu
(619) 297-9700 ext. 1650
http://www.tjsl.edu/student-life/student-services/disability-services
Clinical Programs
Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic
Provides limited legal assistance, as well as full service legal representation, to the residents and alumni of Veterans Village of San Diego, including many veterans with disabilities.
http://www.tjsl.edu/academics/jd-programs/academic-specialties/civil-rights-liberties
University of California - Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Mindi J. Mysliwiec
Director of Student Services
mmysliwiec@law.berkeley.edu
(510) 642-3263
TDD 510-642-6376
or
Karen Nielson (Director)
knielson@berkeley.edu
Additional staff and contact information
Student Organizations
Boalt Disability Law Society
Lillian Jimenez, boaltdisabilitylawsociety@gmail.com
University of California - Davis School of Law
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
54 Cowell Building
University of California
Davis, CA 95616
(530) 752-3184
TDD (530) 752-6833
Fax (530) 752-0161
sdc@ucdavis.edu
http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/current/on-campus-services/student-disability-center.html
The central campus Student Disability Center evaluates all students seeking accommodations, including law students. The Law School Registrar's Office executes exam accommodations recommended by SDC. The law school Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs refers students to the SDC, counsels students with disabilities who have academic questions, and assists disabled students with any other academic or personal concerns related to their academic progress.
Law School Registrar: Nicole Waterman
ngwaterman@ucdavis.edu (530) 752-4299
Clinical Program
The Civil Rights Clinic, Prison Law Clinic and Immigration Law Clinic represent clients whose disabilities or mental health issues have impacted or precipitated their legal problems. The clinics have also assisted prisoners to obtain appropriate health care while incarcerated.
Other Information
The school offers a Disability Rights course and a selection of health law, bioethics and civil rights courses that include coverage of disability and mental health law. Students receive academic credit for externships at non-profit disability rights organizations. Our student body routinely includes students with disabilities, including blindness, quadripalegia, and a range of mental illnesses, as well as students with learning disabilities. The Law and Disability Society regularly hosted panel presentations concerning disability rights issues.
University of California, Hastings College of Law (San Francisco)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Laura Andrews
Resource Coordinator, Disability Resource Program
Disability Resource Program
Phone: (415) 581-8948
http://www.uchastings.edu/about/admin-offices/disability-resource-program/index.php
Student Organizations
Active Minds: Dan Turner, dantrnr@gmail.com
Hastings Disability Law Society: Jennifer Wyatt, jrb.wyatt@gmail.com
Hastings Health Law Organization (HHLO): Viet Bui, buiv@uchastings.edu
Individual Representation Clinic
Students represent claimants who have applied for Social Security benefits due to a disability.
University of California - Irvine School of Law
Center for Learning and Accessibility
Karen Andrews, Director
100 Disability Services Center, Building 313
Irvine, CA 92697-5250
Voice: (949) 824-7494
TTY: (949) 824-6272
Fax: (949) 824-3083
dsc@uci.edu
University of California Los Angeles School of Law
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Student Affairs Office
Room 1224 Law Building
385 Charles E. Young Dr. East
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1476
(310) 825-4891
studentaffairs@law.ucla.edu
https://www.cae.ucla.edu/
Other Information
Our Disability Standards Committee is a unique group of professors who meet on an ad hoc basis to address the needs of students with disabilities that arise throughout the year.
University of La Verne College of Law (Ontario)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
2215 E Street
La Verne, CA 91750
Phone: (909) 448-4938
Fax: (909) 448-1633
https://law.laverne.edu/students/students-with-disabilities/
Clinical Program
Disability Rights Legal Center - Heather McGunigle, Director and Adjunct Professor of Law, (909) 460-2034, heather.mcgunigle@lls.edu. Provides clinical experience to upper-division law students, focusing on disability rights litigation and special education issues for low-income and minority families.
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (Sacramento)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Jennifer Carr
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
3200 Fifth Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95817
(916) 325-4631
http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Disabled_Student_Services.htm
Other Information
The school offers four clinics that provide services to people with disabilities on occasion, but are not exclusively for that purpose: Elder Law Practicum, Immigration Clinic, Victims Clinic, and Civil Practice Clinic.
University of San Diego School of Law
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Michael Martinez
Director, Disability and Learning Difference Resource Center
martinezm@sandiego.edu
Phone: (619) 260-4655
Office: Serra Hall 300F
Clinical Program
Special Education Clinic I & II
Students receive practical training and experience in client intake, interviewing and counseling, file review and analysis, and legal representation in diverse forums. Some cases proceed to mediation and due process hearings, where students argue the case with support from the supervising attorney. Weekly group meetings are combined with individual case conferences to provide intensive personal training in case management. The classroom component also includes an overview of statutes and cases in this growing area of civil law.
Other Information
Special Education and the Law
This class is designed to train students to respond to the legal needs of families whose children have physical, learning, or emotional disabilities. Course work covers the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), governing the rights of students with disabilities to special education and related services in public schools. Class includes the application of IDEA and federal regulations to the Individualized Education Program (IEP), placements, discipline provisions, procedural safeguards including due process hearings and legal remedies. Statutory and case law are utilized to assist students in understanding this complex and emerging area of specialization.
University of San Francisco School of Law
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Tom Merrell
Assistant Dean & Director
merrellt@usfca.edu
Student Organizations
Students with Disabilities Association; http://usfsdsrep.blogspot.com/
Law Student Health Organization, HELPO, includes mental and physical disability issues.
ABA - LSD organization sponsors a mental health awareness week.
Undergraduate student government organization, ASUSF, includes two student representatives for disabled students. Erin Dolly, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, oversees law student groups, 415-422-6304 or eedolly@usfca.edu
Other Information
The University Student Disability Service office offers a range of support groups for students who utilize their services. The most successful so far has been one dedicated to chronic health impairment. Contact Tom Merrell, Director of USF Student Disability Services at 415-422-6876 or merrellt@usfca.edu
University of Southern California Gould School of Law (Los Angeles)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Disability Services and Programs
University of Southern California
3601 Watt Way
Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Room 120
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1692
(213) 740-0776
(213) 814-4618 (Video Phone)
(213) 740-8216 (FAX)
ability@usc.edu
https://dsp.usc.edu/
Other Information
The law school offers a course in special education and disability law with an accompanying internship.
Western State University College of Law (Fullerton)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Disabled Student Services Coordinator
(714) 459-1159
http://www.wsulaw.edu/current-students/disabled-services.aspx
Whittier Law School (Costa Mesa)
Contact/ Disability Resource Center
Tom McColl
(714) 444-4141
tmccoll@law.whittier.edu
Physical Location:
Office of Student Affairs, Buiding 2 within Student Services suite
http://www.law.whittier.edu/index/student-affairs/
Clinical Program
The Special Education Legal Clinic benefits law students by presenting a unique educational opportunity to develop advocacy, negotiation, communication and research skills to work on behalf of children with disabilities and their families.