social justice

Social Justice and Public Interest Law Career Track

Earn Your JD, Change the World

Want to Learn More?

You’re the kind of person who wants to do more than just advance your career. You want to make the world a better, more equitable place. Our Social Justice & Public Interest Law track can help make it possible. Prepare for careers in:

Criminal defense or prosecution
Legal aid
Non-profits and government agencies
Businesses and law firms committed to inclusion and diversity
Public office

With a curriculum that combines theory with practice, you’ll develop your social justice lens alongside the practical skills necessary to find comprehensive solutions to your client’s most challenging legal problems.

Our nationally recognized professors and alumni are:

Judges with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Deputy Attorney Generals with the California and U.S. Department of Justice
Criminal litigators with some of the most renowned public defender offices in the country, such as the Office of the Alameda County Public Defender
Attorneys at progressive district attorney’s offices, such as the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office
Civil rights practitioners who fight daily to ensure justice is served for victims of police misconduct
Executive directors and founders of nonprofit organizations such as the AIDS Legal Referral Panel

Master Real-World Public Interest Issues

In the first year, students are exposed to a variety of social justice and public interest career paths and begin to gain the legal skills most useful for advocacy. In the second year, students focus on public interest lawyering through a close analysis of case studies and a discussion of recurring issues in public interest practice. Coursework addresses questions of how public interest problems are framed; how clients, lawyers and their allies think about problem-solving strategies; and how public interest lawyers use different modes of advocacy to address problems. Students can also participate on GGU’s Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Social Justice Law Journal and select an experiential opportunity that allows them to practice their skills with real clients and problems.

Learn to Make a Difference

In addition to building a solid foundation in your core class, you’ll customize your learning experience by choosing from electives in areas such as:

International human rights
Gender-based violence
Immigration and refugee policy
Criminal justice
Youth law
Family law
Alternative dispute resolution

Social Justice Is Who We Are

Social justice isn’t just what we teach, it’s who we are. We believe training lawyers and leaders of diverse backgrounds and experiences creates a stronger, more inclusive justice system. We are:

55% of students come from racially diverse backgrounds
55% are women, the 6th highest enrollment of female students in the nation
19% identify as LGBTQ
53% are first-generation college or law school students
86% are first-generation law school students

GGU Law was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the second most diverse law school in the country and given an “A+” grade for diversity by National Jurist.

GGU’s mission is to produce graduates with the skill, judgment, and moral compass to become exceptional lawyers and socially responsible members of the global community. The public needs you. Learn how to get started.

Important Dates

Application Deadline
June 1st, 2023

Start Date
August 19th, 2023

JD Flex Orientation
August 18th, 2023

Upcoming Events

Next JD Flex Webinar TBD