Law Students for Economic Justice

Law Students for Economic Justice (LawSEJ) provides a community and voice for progressive and radical law students and focuses on organizing within the NYU School of Law environment.  Primarily we:

  • Organize NYU law students around issues of social and economic justice within the law school and university;
  • Organize NYU law students to participate in activities of grassroots organizations fighting for economic and social justice; and
  • Organize events for law students to learn about economic and social justice issues and careers.

While a number of other progressive law student organizations focus on legal issues outside of NYU, we focus primarily on organizing to ensure a progressive voice on campus and to build bridges with other progressive organizations.  Key to our goals is the work we do in conjunction with NYU student groups and community organizations.  LawSEJ changed its name from Practice to Law Students for Economic Justice last year to more clearly communicate our mission.

Activities:

We currently have four principle campaigns slated for the 2008-2009 school year: 

Justice for Domestic Workers.  Last year we worked with Domestic Workers United in rallying and lobbying the NY legislature to enact a domestic workers bill of rights.  LawSEJ will continue to organize campus support in solidarity with DWU’s efforts to organize to build power, establish fair labor standards, and raise the level of respect for domestic workers. Point person: Jon, Tom.

Reentry Employment Project.  In conjunction with South Brooklyn Legal Services, we will be creating a community service project where law students draft affidavits in support of applications for certificates of rehabilitation, which aid people with criminal records in their search for employment. Point person: Jeanette.

Keep Killer Coke Off Campus.  LawSEJ was originally involved in organizing for NYU to join the nation-wide boycott of Coke for its role in assassinating Colombian union leaders and other human rights and environmental abuses.  Last year we took on a leadership role in preventing a premature lifting of the ban.  We will educate law school students about the boycott and, as needed, organize to maintain the ban.  Point person: Jeff.

Fair Trade Coffee Campaign.  Last year we began to research and engage in discussions about how to get the coffee at NYU changed to 100% fair trade coffee.  We will build on last year’s work and organize to make all the law school coffee fair trade.  Point person: Angie.

Additionally, LawSEJ will organize film screenings, regular information tables on social and economic issues, an employment/labor/economic justice career talk, and of course, social events.  Our priorities may change based on developing events and student interest.

For More Information:

For more information, contact Jeanette or one of our other our steering committee members:

To subscribe to our list serve send a blank message to: join-law-sej@lists.nyu.edu

 



http://www.law.nyu.edu//studentorganizations/lawsej/index.htm