Information for Students
Students register for ELC through the standard clinical registration process (Helios) during registration Spring of the year before. The clinical round is the first round in a series of registration phases. Read more about the registration process here.
Continue reading to learn more about our program.
Testimonials
“The Election Law Clinic has been the most meaningful part of my time at the law school. I've gotten to engage with impactful, interesting litigation at such a crucial time for election law and democracy, and learn from and work with brilliant instructors and fellow students.”
— Delaney, JD ’23
“The Election Law Clinic pushed me to be a better learner and a better doer, all while allowing me to serve my communities and pursue my legal passions. Since starting this clinic, I have gained and strengthened innumerable technical, personal, and interpersonal skills– such as legal research and writing, brief writing, and client representation– that will help me succeed in my legal career. I know the Election Law Clinic is an experience that I will be able to look back on and say, “this made me a better lawyer.” I am thankful to be a part of the Election Law Clinic at HLS.”
— Regina, JD ’24
“ELC provides students an opportunity to learn through impact. The Clinic supports students as they dive in to complex election law issues and helps them build legal skills through client work. I spent most of my time in the clinic working on the Jacksonville redistricting litigation and on jail voting. On both issues, clinical instructors challenged me through rigorous legal research, analysis, and writing, and through direct client work. I've also had the opportunity to strengthen core litigation skills like briefing, managing expert witnesses, and conducting pre-litigation and discovery research. ELC has been a highlight of my time at HLS!”
— Nick, JD ’23
The Clinic
ELC will take 15 students each semester to work on litigation and advocacy campaigns. Most of the work of the clinic will be litigation focused, but if students are interested in pursuing advocacy projects, that will also be available. This year, with the help our our team, students will develop, file, and litigate cases to combat voter suppression and gerrymandering. Amicus briefs on the operation of the census and campaign finance laws are also planned.
The Director and two clinical instructors will take primary responsibility for supervising four students each, though students will work in case teams with various instructors depending on the needs of the cases and projects. ELC will also take a small number of students for advanced clinical placements.
The Harvard Law School Course Catalog page for ELC is here - Fall and Spring
The Seminar
All students enrolled in ELC will take a weekly seminar that is designed to complement the work of the clinic, and to ensure that students get exposure to the skills needed for all stages of litigation and advocacy. Even if a student’s clinic work focuses on one aspect of litigation, the seminar will expose students to everything from researching and filing a case, briefing a motion to dismiss, engaging in lay and expert discovery, preparing for and participating in a trial, and finally, the appellate process.
The Harvard Law School Course Catalog page for ELC Seminar is here - Fall and Spring.
Application Process and Waitlisting
To Apply: Students register for ELC through the standard clinical registration process (Helios) during registration Spring of the year before. The clinical round is the first round in a series of registration phases. Read more about the registration process here.
Prior experience is not necessary. ELC strongly encourages students to take clinic that have a commitment to our mission, demonstrated research, writing, and communication skills, and illustrated attention to detail, work ethic, organizational and time-management skills. Once accepted into the clinic, students will be asked to complete a survey of their experience, interests, work styles, and desired number of credits, so they can be matched with a supervisor. Students will be sent ELC Handbook and additional materials prior to the start of the semester.
Waitlisted students will be notified of any vacancies on a rolling basis but no later than the final Add/Drop deadline.
Add/Drop Deadlines
Changes to enrollment should not be made after August 23rd, though we understand that scheduling is complex and will work with students to be flexible where possible.
The required seminar constitutes a two-credit course and all students in the clinic must complete the seminar. Students can choose whether to take the clinical component for two, three, four, or five credits, and that choice can be changed up to three weeks into the semester.