Why A New Racial Justice Litigation Workshop Is Already Popular

Last fall, as there were widespread protests over police shootings of unarmed black men and women, Professor Katherine Franke spun into action, developing a new course that brings together Law School students and racial justice litigators in the classroom. In a matter of weeks, Franke created a new, unusual course for the spring semester.

The “Racial Justice Litigation Workshop” blends theory with practice, bringing in top legal advocates as speakers and offering students externship opportunities. “At Columbia Law, we are working to develop hybrid learning experiences that open up the walls of the classroom, integrating the Law School with the courtroom and the streets,” Franke said recently.

On February 14, Sarah Geraghty, managing attorney for Impact Litigation at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta, will be speaking about debtors’ prisons, privatized probation, and criminal fines. She is one of five speakers this semester (view the full list), and all events are open to the public.

Franke explains the unique course in more detail in this video.

###

Posted February 13, 2017