Honorabl~:A~;, Has Elias, J Tlon's Looked to the Na Forgotten Past to Forge a New Type of Justice
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Stanf HAIL TO THE CHIEF Zealand's court New tem Is breaking sys Its colonial away from Ight traditions. The R slan Honorabl~:a~;, has Elias, J tlon's looked to the na forgotten past to forge a new type of Justice. What They Teach The Law School welcomes the opening of the Stanford Community Law Clinic THE CLINIC'S LAUNCH TEAM, Yvonne Mere, clinical supervising attorney and former 2117 University Ave. supervising attorney, Homeless Advocacy Project, San Francisco; Peter Reid CAB '64), clinjc director and former executive director, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County; East Palo Alto Peggy Stevenson CAB '75), clinical supervising attorney and former executive director, East Palo Alto Community Law Project; Guadalupe (Lupe) Buenrostro, legal assis 650/475·0560 tant; and Gary Blasi, a visiting professor in clinical law from UCLA. he Stanford Community Law Clinic began assisting clients in January 2003. Its mission is to T serve low-income residents of East Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Redwood City, and other nearby communities, while providing opportunities for the clinical training of Stanford Law School students. Operated and managed by the Law School in cooperation with the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, the clinic will focus on housing issues, workers' rights, and government benefits. Special thanks to: The Stanford University President's Fund Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher Mamtt, Phelps & Phillips Bingham McCutchen Gordon & Rees Morrison & Foerster Cooley Godward Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich PillsbUlY Winthrop Fenwick & West Hanson Bridgett Marcos Vlahos Rudy Townsend and Townsend and Crew Genentech Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe \i\Tilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati FRO,\l TIlE DE \ 1 STANFORO LAWYER The Law School Goes Live BY KATHLEEN M. SULLIVAN Dean and Richard E. Lang Professor of Law and Stanley Morrison Professor of Law wo Stanford Law students file a claim for Koski and Alexander joined a clinical program that unpaid wages and penalties on behalf of a already offered innovative, popular courses, including the restaurant kitchen worker who lost his job Criminal Prosecution Clinic taught by Professor George after his face was burned by oven cleaner and his Fisher (see story, p. 8), the Cyberlaw Clinic taught by employer told him to "just wash it off." Another Lecturer Jennifer Granick, and the Environmental Law student wins a motion to quash in federal district Clinic taught by Lecturers Debbie Sivas '87 and Mike court for a client who posts a message anonymously Lozeau. on an internet message board and is subpoenaed The School continues to develop a clinic focused on by a Canadian pharmaceutical company that says civil practice in community law, taught this year by Visiting it was defamed (see story, p. 7). A third student Professors Shauna Marshall from UC Hastings and Gary wins a summary judgment motion in federal dis Blasi from UCLA. In this clinic, students learn the theory trict court that protects a nearly extinct freshwater and practice of poverty law. fish species, the Santa Ana sucker, from destruction of the But a poverty law clinic needs clients. Last year, when last areas of its "critical habitat." the East Palo Alto Community Law Project announced it These are just a few examples of how law students rep was closing, we realized that local opportunities to represent resent live clients in the School's clinical programs, which indigent clients were in jeopardy. We decided that Stanford are undergoing a dramatic expansion in size and scope. should take the lead in creating a new legal services office in According to students, these experiences are exhilarating. East Palo Alto that would provide both clinical experience The Law School has long pioneered superb simulated for students and legal aid for the community. practice courses, from Federal Litigation to International The Stanford Community Law Clinic, which recently Business Transactions to Deals. But two years ago, the fac opened its doors in a newly ulty decided that we should build the premier clinical pro renovated space in East Palo gram in the country. Alto, is the proud result Live client representation, after all, teaches invaluable of that effort. In just a few lessons in practical judgment and ethical responsibility that months, Stanford Law cannot be learned in the classroom. Law school clinics ben School-with the help of efit clients who otherwise would go unrepresented, and the University and the local remind students that their responsibilities as lawyers extend legal community-funded, beyond themselves to society. And, as alumni who worked staffed, and housed a com with such giants as former Stanford Law Professor Anthony munity legal services organ Amsterdam well know, working one-on-one with a great ization designed for clinical lawyer instills lessons that last a lifetime. education. To achieve this goal, the Law School recently hired two The Clinic is run by an clinical faculty members and aims to raise that number to experienced and expert legal staff (see opposite page). five in the near future. Associate Professor Bill Koski has Students who work at the Clinic will represent clients who worked for two years with law students in his Education need legal aid with housing, wages, and government bene Advocacy Clinic, most notably pursuing a lawsuit in federal fits. The Clinic will also provide students with pro bono district court against a nearby school district for its failure opportunities to help local residents with guardianships, to educate disabled children. Last year the School hired consumer rights, and small business transactions. Associate Professor Michelle Alexander '92, whose new As Stanford Law students represent increasing numbers Civil Rights Clinic was immediately oversubscribed. of real clients in courtrooms, council chambers, school Confirming our views of her legal talent, a lawsuit she districts, and boardrooms, their education will be immeasur filed on behalf of the ACLU of orthern California in ably strengthened. We aim, with your support, to make 1999 just ended in a settlement limiting racial profiling superb clinical training a lasting complement to the excel by the California Highway Patrol (see story, p. 7). lent training we provide in the classroom. 4 SPRING 2003 Letters Declaration of Independence control of the Senate and also lost seats The Bush tax cut is just one example our article on the Law School's in the House. of an issue that could have resonated with Directors' College ["Building a In the aftermath of the mid-term elec traditional Democratic voters had the Better Director," Fall 2002, p. 10] and tions of 2002, Democrats began to lay Democrats made fighting the cut a prior accompanying interview with Professor blame for the electoral fallout with vari ity. Instead, many Democratic leaders Joe Grundfest ["School for Scandal ous pundits favoring a move by the party were content to find middle ground, at Prevention," Fall 2002, p. 12] were either to the right or left. Baucus's win in the expense of the Democratic Party's both interesting and timely in their the heavily Republican state of Montana constituency. This faction, in turn, was emphasis on the importance of demonstrates that the answer is not for not as motivated as the Republican con independent directors. the Democratic Party to move indiscrim stituency when it came to Election Day The rush to enact post-Enron reforms inately to the right or left, but to recom 2002. may have overemphasized a "check-the mit itself to the heartland and the The Democratic Party can learn from box" approach to independence, while Jackson-FDR constituencies. For exam Baucus's victory and the party's defeat in underemphasizing the underlying per ple, Baucus helped to nix President the mid-term elections. For their sake, sonal dynamics: the sociology of inde Clinton's plan to raise mining and graz let's hupe they learn the right lessons. pendence. Many existing boards are ing fees on federal lands but protested Michael tv!. Shapiro '03 effectively war cabinets-trusted advisors the nomination ofjohn Ashcroft and Columllist, www.politicSIlj.com who can huddle and give guidance in staunchly supported abortion rights. By difficult times. "While efficient, this doing so, he endeared himself with the Home on the Range approach risks a loss of independent constituencies the Democrats need to t was with great interest that I read the judgement, with board members who, win back the majority. profile of Montana's senior l.'nited may meet technical standards of financial Baucus's independence is a good trait. States Senator, Max Baucus, in the fall independence, but be reluctant to chal However, at times, he committed the issue of the StanfOTd Lawyer. I applaud lenge management head-on. same mistakes the national Democratic your magazine for presenting a well We have a demonstrated need for Party made prior to the mid-term elec researched, thorough, and unbiased pro boards of directors who can check and tions. The Party must stand for some file of both the Senator and the political balance company executives, while still thing to maintain and aggrandize its base landscape in Montana. offering constructive insights and expert of support. It cannot merely perch itself Like others in Montana, I have ise. Moreover, only a meaningfully inde in the middle on every issue and expect known the Senator for most of my adult pendent and engaged board will be able to regain majority status. On some issues, life. The article did a masterful job of to set incentives that truly align manage the Party should consider moving right, capturing the essence of a public servant ment and shareholder interests-solving on others, left. "When President Bush who, in many ways, defIes either simple the principal-agent problem at the heart proposed his tax cut in 2001, Baucus had description or traditional political hlhels.