For many, careers are motivated by passion, but that passion is often eclipsed by the need to simply make a living. Some people are born with the desire to change the world for the better, to ensure that their life holds space for impact. Those wanting to do so by improving the law become social justice lawyers.
There are many reasons to become an attorney and many reasons to devote your work to social justice. Public interest lawyers generally share a common goal: they see the injustice happening in the world and want to break the barriers of systemic oppression. The law is a tool for justice, whether on a macro or micro level.
GGU’s Commitment To Social Justice
If you are guided by the same mission, consider Golden Gate University School of Law. Our Social Justice and Public Interest Career track allows you to not only obtain your Juris Doctor but do so through the lens of the public interest. GGU’s commitment to social justice is evident in thier curriculum, faculty, and JD career track.
What is Public Interest Law?
Public interest law exists in service of human needs. Social justice lawyers aim to right the wrongs of society and our justice system. Public interest work manifests itself in a variety of career paths, such as:
- Family law
- Constitutional law
- Environmental law
- Criminal law
- Dispute resolution
- Policy work
Public interest lawyers work to evolve current policies to be more inclusive, such as championing rights for same-sex couples when it comes to children and access to US adoption systems. They may also defend those who have been arrested, as the Constitution provides the legal right to an attorney in a criminal case. They work towards racial justice in a country still very much dealing with systemic racism. Even though there are laws in place in the name of justice, they do not always work in favor of those who have been historically marginalized. Social justice attorneys give a voice to those that the system continuously fails to protect.
The Benefits of a Specialized Career Track
If you want to become a public interest attorney, you can obtain your J.D. at any law school and make sure your work centers around social justice. However, choosing a specialized career track not only prepares you more for your career but gives you a professional advantage.
Our Social Justice & Public Interest career track prepares you to think critically about today’s most pressing public interest legal issues. Your education here highlights the many different roles that lawyers play in solving society’s toughest problems. Students gain a competitive edge as they take electives taught by industry experts and gain the legal skills most useful for advocacy.
Why GGU?
Golden Gate University passionately believes that social justice isn’t just what we teach, it is who we are. We are committed to training lawyers and leaders of diverse backgrounds and experiences. This creates a stronger, more inclusive justice system. Our mission is to produce graduates with the skill, judgment, and moral compass to become exceptional lawyers and socially responsible members of the global community.
Our law school offers our students the ability to obtain their degrees with flexibility. Our JD Flex program allows students to earn an ABA-accredited law degree in less than four years, even while working full-time or keeping other life commitments. Students have access to all resources, are held to the same academic standards, and undergo the same rigor as our campus-based JD students. Additionally, they have the flexibility to fit their education with their life. It’s the best of all worlds – for an education that can change the world.
