IRVINE, Calif. (Jan 31, 2024) — University of California, Irvine School of Law (UCI Law) community members gathered at the Law School on Saturday, Jan. 20, to learn and discuss current issues in public interest law. Established in 2017, UCI Law’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Teach-in event provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, alumni and local attorneys to discuss opportunities to advocate for justice in a variety of legal practices.
This year’s MLK Jr. Teach-in examined both the history of public interest law in areas of human rights and civil liberties and the future of justice work in areas impacting vulnerable communities. The Black Law Students Association, Environmental Law Society, Labor & Work Society, Movement Lawyering Group, National Lawyers Guild, and the Police Misconduct Pro Bono Project worked hard to create engaging sessions on different facets of public interest law. A reception following the panels brought together attendees to continue conversations about justice in the UCI Law community and beyond.
“I appreciated getting a chance to meet with public interest focused alumni that are working to expand justice for the communities that they serve,” said third-year UCI Law student T.J. Mertikas. “The teach-in has been a great resource for students thinking about their position as lawyers within movements, and how to use their legal training to better advocate for social justice.”
“The MLK Jr. Teach-In embodies UCI Law’s commitment to training the next generation of public interest attorneys,” said Rodney Leggett (’19), who serves as Director of Litigation at Housing Rights Center. “As an alumnus, there is no better feeling than returning to share my experiences and advocacy as a public interest attorney with current students and community members.”
The event began with an opening plenary on “New Horizons in Public Interest Law” that featured:
- Austen Parrish, Dean, UCI Law (Moderator)
- Brian Hardingham (’12), Senior Attorney with the Debtors’ Prison Project at Public Justice
- Alisa Hartz (’12), Counsel at Office of Youth and Community Restoration at California Health & Human Services
- Jonathan Markovitz (’14), ACLU SoCal Free Expression and Access to Government Attorney
- Rodney Leggett (’19), Director of Litigation at Housing Rights Center
- Eric Vera (’16), Deputy Public Defender at Orange County Public Defender’s Office
The plenary was followed by breakout sessions featuring more than twenty law professors, attorneys, advocates, law students and alumni who discussed justice work from a wide variety of practice areas. The panel presentations included:
The California Racial Justice for All Act: The Law, Its Possibilities and Challenges
Jointly organized by UCI Law National Lawyers Guild & Movement Lawyering groups
- Angi Phillips (’25), Student Board Member, UCI Law National Lawyers Guild (Moderator)
- Sean Garcia Leys (’16), Co-Executive Director at Peace and Justice Law Center
- Abby Taylor, Senior Deputy Public Defender at Orange County Public Defender’s Office
Environmental Justice: Land Use Failures and Toxic Substance Exposures in Communities of Color
Organized by the UCI Law Environmental Law Society
- Jacob Basta (’25), Student Board Member, UCI Law Environmental Law Society
- Isabella Coye (’24), Student Board Member, UCI Law Environmental Law Society
- Dan Straus (’25), Student Board Member, UCI Law Environmental Law Society
- Vanessa Vasquez (’25), Student Board Member, UCI Law Environmental Law Society
International Human Rights and Social Justice
- Paul Hoffman, Director, Civil Rights Litigation Clinic; Co-Director, International Human Rights Clinic; Partner, Schonbrun DeSimone Seplow Harris & Hoffman, LLP
Police Misconduct – Know Your Rights & Remedies
Organized by UCI Law Police Misconduct Pro Bono Project
- Introduction by Annie Wang (’24), Student Leader, UCI Law Police Misconduct Pro Bono Project
- Paul Hoffman, Director, Civil Rights Litigation Clinic; Co-Director, International Human Rights Clinic; Partner, Schonbrun DeSimone Seplow Harris & Hoffman, LLP
Effects & Momentum of Labor Movements
Organized by UCI Law Labor & Work Society
- T.J. Mertikas (’24), Student Board Member, UCI Law Labor & Work Law Society (Moderator)
- Ashley Michel Flores, Organizer for LAANE (Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy)
- Rich McCracken, Senior Counsel at McCracken Stemerman & Holsberry LLP
- Jordan Palmer, Attorney with UNITE HERE Local 11 and Strippers United
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About the University of California, Irvine School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law is a visionary law school that provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, prioritizes public service, and demonstrates a commitment to equity within the legal profession. Nearly half of all UCI Law’s J.D. graduates are people of color, and almost a third are first-generation students. At UCI Law, we are driven to improve our local, national, and global communities by grappling with important issues as scholars, as practitioners, and as teachers who are preparing the next generation of leaders. The collaborative and interdisciplinary community at UCI Law includes extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and enthusiastic supporters. Connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign up for our monthly newsletter for the latest news and events at UCI Law.