Legislative Advocacy

Advocate to enact New York State and City laws to promote civil rights and protect the disenfranchised.

Working with grassroots groups and legal advocacy organizations, Fordham's Legislative Advocacy Clinic students draft legislative regulatory proposals, policy proposals, and reports; meet with legislators and their staffers; and conduct legal and social justice research.

Students collaborate with dynamic social change leaders from across the State and City, work in coalitions to achieve our clients' goals, and educate the public to create social change.

Clinic students lobby for key issues affecting the lives of countless New Yorkers, including:

• Lowering the State’s 9% interest rate charged on consumer debt to 2% providing New Yorkers with an opportunity to get out of debt
• Working to protect the rights of intersex individuals
• Protecting pro se consumers from claims on unsubstantiated debt
• Seeking to decriminalize voluntary sex work

We work on important social justice issues that can change the lives of hundreds, if not many thousands, of New Yorkers.

With its diversity and depth of issues, heterogeneous communities, vibrant politics, New York is the perfect place to learn to be a legislative advocate.  The skills you learn and the experience you get in the Clinic will prepare you to be an effective attorney– whether you pursue a career in legislative advocacy, litigation, or virtually any other practice area.

Without the Legislative and Policy Advocacy Clinic, I would not be where I am today. Both the practical and legal skills I developed during my time in the clinic were invaluable in beginning my career in government and policy, and continue to be relevant years later.

Kelly Taylor, Sr. Legislative Counsel
New York City Council
Legislative and Policy Clinic 2011