Programs

The Center for Civil and Human Rights hosts an annual conference on a topic consistent with the Center’s mission. The annual conference brings together experts in practice and policy to promote access to justice and to further the rights of those who are underserved, marginalized, disadvantaged or otherwise discriminated against.

The purpose of Beatriz and Ed Schweitzer Border Justice Initiative is to advance justice for immigrants at the nation’s geographic borders while also pursuing justice for immigrants in the United States at the boundaries of civic inclusion. The Border Justice Initiative’s work centers on advocacy training for law students and help for marginalized immigrants seeking protection near the U.S.-Mexico border and those immigrants in our local communities striving for legal rights and civic participation. The Border Justice Initiative coordinates the one-credit, community-engaged learning course -- Gonzaga Law in Action: Immigration Advocacy. The CCHR’s 2020 alternative spring break program in Nogales served as the pilot for this new course.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights houses the Carl Maxey Social Justice Scholarship Program. Through the program, a small number of entering first-year students are awarded full tuition so that they may pursue careers in public service unencumbered by substantial law school debt.

The Civil and Human Rights Concentration program provides an opportunity for students to formally focus and curate their legal education on the study and analysis of civil and human rights and the legal, theoretical, and policy perspectives associated with these rights. It also offers the opportunity for direct action in civil and human rights advocacy work, and development of professional experience in this field.

Read the full program guidelines here.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights organizes and helps coach a Civil Rights Moot Court team. The moot court team participates in a national competition in the Spring.

Gonzaga Law in Action (GLA) is an alternative spring break program for law students committed to civil and human rights. Housing and travel will be provided to selected law students to work with a social justice or public service legal organization during their spring break. Students may use the GLA hours as pro bono or public service hours.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights oversees Gonzaga’s participation in the statewide WSBA Moderate Means program. Through the program, law students work to provide access to justice to people of “moderate means”: those who make too much to qualify for legal aid but not enough to retain an attorney at market rates.

Gonzaga University School of Law's Center for Civil and Human Rights hosts a monthly Name and Gender ID Clinic to assist non-binary and transgender individuals with updating their identification, including state IDs, passports, birth certificates, and Social Security information. When needed, a notary will also be present to assist with document notarization.

Gonzaga University School of Law, as part of its mission to educate the whole person to serve the public good, is dedicated to supporting student participation in pro bono and public service opportunities. The Center for Civil and Human Rights oversees programs which support the student in pro bono and public service work, as well as provides opportunities to students.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights presents the Social Justice Lunch Series on a monthly basis. This lecture series brings notable speakers to GU Law to speak about issues central to the mission of the Center: Promoting access to justice, and helping individuals and communities that are marginalized, subordinated, discriminated against, targeted, or otherwise disadvantaged.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights provides Summer Grants of up to $5,000 to a select number of students to cover living and travel expenses in support of otherwise unpaid summer work. The opportunity is available to students spending their summers doing internships in legal areas important to the Center and its mission.