UCLA Law Opens Immigrant Family Legal Clinic in LAUSD Public School

LOS ANGELES, May 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- UCLA School of Law today announced the opening of the Immigrant Family Legal Clinic at the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Koreatown. The one-of-a-kind clinic is a dynamic new partnership between UCLA School of Law, the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies and the Los Angeles Unified School District, providing no-cost legal support to students and their families while strengthening public schools in Los Angeles. The only immigration law clinic on a K-12 public school campus in the country, the clinic is also a rare collaboration between a public school district, law school and graduate school of education.

Los Angeles Unified School District Board President Mónica García, UCLA School of Law Dean Jennifer Mnookin and UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies Dean Marcelo Suárez-Orozco were among the leaders who offered remarks at the celebration of the clinic, which also featured tours of the clinic and campus.

"UCLA Law is enormously proud to launch a clinic in the heart of one of Los Angeles' most diverse neighborhoods, on a public school campus that is central to the lives and successes of immigrant families," said Mnookin. "The Immigrant Family Legal Clinic provides a much-needed public service to one of the most densely populated immigrant communities in America as well as an unrivaled educational opportunity for our law school students."

Under the expert supervision of UCLA School of Law faculty, law students work on individual immigration cases and provide consultation to students and parents in the RFK Community Schools.

"Justice is essential to ensure 100 percent graduation," said García. "Congratulations to the entire community of RFK Schools on the opening of their new campus legal clinic! We are grateful to our partners at UCLA for their passion in bringing these services to our students and families. I am so proud to work with organizations that are committed to changing systems to better serve the whole child."

Partners in the program include UCLA School of Law, the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, the Los Angeles Unified School District and several non-profit legal service providers in Los Angeles. The clinic is funded in part with a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor.

"Immigrant students and their families are making invaluable contributions to our neighborhoods and our nation," said Suárez-Orozco, a world-renowned scholar in immigration and education. "It's been an honor to work with them to establish the UCLA Community School. Together we are achieving important educational outcomes while also serving the broader needs of students, their families and the community. We believe the new Immigrant Family Legal Clinic will be an important part of that collaboration and provide greatly needed services that will benefit our students and families and further their educational success." 

The clinic delivers a range of legal services to students and families, including representing unaccompanied minors and asylum-seekers, and provides information and counseling about immigration and related legal matters to the broader community of students, teachers and residents. Koreatown is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles, with a vibrant mix of recent immigrants from Mexico, Central America, Korea and other countries. The clinic also partners with other local service providers and national advocacy organizations to bring a broad array of resources to the school community and amplify its impact. The clinic began providing services at the beginning of UCLA School of Law's spring 2019 semester.

Housed on the RFK Community School campus, the clinic serves students at the six community schools on the RFK campus. This includes UCLA Community School, a research-guided K-12 school with a curriculum committed to equity and access for underserved students in Los Angeles.

Research conducted at the clinic under the auspices of the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies will offer a deep understanding of the immigrant communities served by Los Angeles public schools, and will develop tools and strategies for successful educational outcomes.

About UCLA School of Law

Founded in 1949 and entering its 70^th academic year, UCLA School of Law is one of the top-ranked law schools in the country. Its faculty are among the most influential scholars in business law, constitutional law, critical race studies, environmental law, evidence, immigration, public interest law, tax and other fields. UCLA Law's 17,000-plus alumni work in nearly every state and more than 50 countries as leaders in government, industry, social justice and the legal profession. Committed to the University of California's mission of teaching, research and public service, the school offers students a strong foundation in the law as well as practical training through a robust experiential education program.

About UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies

The UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies performs fundamental work on what matters most in education and information studies in the 21st Century: the discovery and application of usable knowledge at the crossroads of policy and practice. The school is home to 16 nationally renowned research centers, three groundbreaking partnership schools – including the UCLA Community School – and some of the world's premiere education and information experts. The UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies is where the most pressing issues in education and information are transformed by UCLA and strategic partners into opportunity and real-world solutions.

About the RFK Community Schools

The RFK Community Schools is comprised of six autonomous pilot schools serving 4,000 K-12 students at the site of the former Ambassador Hotel. The school was built to relieve overcrowded schools located in the historically underserved neighborhoods of Pico-Union and Koreatown. Students are offered a rigorous and personalized instructional program that embodies the social justice legacy of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in 1968. Schools include the UCLA Community School, Ambassador School of Global Education, Ambassador School of Global Leadership, NOW Academy, School for the Visual Arts and Humanities and Los Angeles High School of the Arts.

Media Contacts:

Kristin Brocoff, Thatcher+Co.
Email: [email protected]  
Phone: 949-400-4899

Kathy Wyer, UCLA School of Law
Email: [email protected]  
Phone: 310-206-1766

John McDonald, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
Email: [email protected]  
Phone: 310-206-0513

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SOURCE UCLA School of Law