About the Community Empowerment Law Project

The Community Empowerment Law Project (CELP) works with clients and communities to amplify their voices, increase their impact, and build strategic alliances to advance racial and economic justice in the State of Iowa and beyond. The clinic represents individual and organizational clients in non-litigation matters that emphasize capacity building, law reform, and systemic change. These matters have included: coalition building; legislative, regulatory, and policy advocacy; campaign design and implementation; and community education.

Students work as a part of a team to support and advise a client with a complex problem. CELP is unique in that students will initiate the representation and end the representation in one semester, so that they can see the full arc of the project, not just small pieces or tasks. Students in CELP will design a project plan, conduct all legal and factual research, interview relevant stakeholders, counsel clients, make strategic choices, and design, author, and present final deliverables. CELP is not subject-matter driven: Past projects have focused on criminal legal reform; environmental protection; reproductive justice; urban agriculture; education; and labor-related issues, among others.

The Community Empowerment Law Project is directed by Professor Daria Fisher Page.

How to get involved

Students typically enroll in CELP for one semester at nine credits, approximately 27 – 36 hours/week. CELP does not have corequisite or prerequisite courses, though it is helpful to take Professional Responsibility before, or the same semester as, clinic. Students should bring curiosity, commitment, and creativity to their clinic experience.