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191 - 200 of 873 results for: LAW

LAW 808U: Policy Practicum: Buildings in the Energy Transition: Resilient, Clean and Just

Clients: Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) as well as legislative and California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) decision makers. California is a leader in establishing aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase zero-carbon energy generation. To meet its ambitious goals, California must implement a just energy transition that is founded in equity and that actively promotes environmental justice. This policy lab will work to address two pressing issues at the forefront of a zero-carbon energy transition: the ability of utilities to equitably, efficiently, and safely transition natural gas infrastructure and scale up electrification, and the ongoing reform of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Utilities have an obligation to provide essential services to all residents in their service territory, and this currently includes both natural gas and electric service in most areas. The original intent more »
Clients: Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) as well as legislative and California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) decision makers. California is a leader in establishing aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase zero-carbon energy generation. To meet its ambitious goals, California must implement a just energy transition that is founded in equity and that actively promotes environmental justice. This policy lab will work to address two pressing issues at the forefront of a zero-carbon energy transition: the ability of utilities to equitably, efficiently, and safely transition natural gas infrastructure and scale up electrification, and the ongoing reform of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Utilities have an obligation to provide essential services to all residents in their service territory, and this currently includes both natural gas and electric service in most areas. The original intention was to ensure equitable access to all consumers, but this obligation can now pose a barrier to electrifying homes, neighborhoods, and the state in an efficient and just manner. Legislators, utilities, and other stakeholders are cautious about widespread decommissioning of natural gas infrastructure until there is a legal architecture in place to ensure that equitable, reliable, and sufficient service is maintained to all customers. We are recognized leaders in the legal and regulatory issues associated with the obligation to serve in California and this policy lab will work to develop solutions in concert with EJ groups and state legislators. The LCFS is one of the key measures intended by California to drive innovation in reducing GHG emissions. This program was implemented in 2011 with the goal of stimulating a cellulosic biofuel industry and has been significantly amended over the past decade. Over the next year, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) will undertake a major revision of the program with large implications for biofuels, food crops, refineries and CAFOs. We have been asked by multiple environmental justice groups for assistance in developing EJ-centered technical and legal analysis to support their engagement in this process including development of and modeling of an "EJ scenario" to compare with alternatives developed by ARB. We will conduct our work from the perspective of and informed by the needs of our clients, APEN and CBE, environmental justice organizations that are actively involved in resilience and decarbonization policy. In this course, students will learn the basics of building electrification and low carbon fuel standards as well as engage in work related to these policies that is directly tied to policy outcomes. Lectures will focus on technical, economic and legal aspects of the challenge. In addition, students will work in groups on legal and technical analysis aimed at supporting better decision making in energy policy proposals in California. Students will work in partnership with postdocs and legal fellows on their group projects and may have the opportunity to present the results of their work to both APEN, CBE, legislators, and CPUC staff. The course is intended for students interested in multi-disciplinary approaches to public policy problems. No background in either energy law or energy modeling is required. Students will engage in weekly lecture and discussion of energy resilience and decarbonization science and policy, including student presentations and guest lectures by scientists, practitioners and policymakers who are true subject matter experts engaged in the policy processes student teams will be working on. Students will also meet outside of class once per week with the teaching team in working sessions to discuss progress on team projects. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Students enrolled in Section 02 (with instructor consent) will be required to write an individual research paper meeting the Law School's R paper requirements. CONSENT APPLICATION: To access the consent application for this course, go to link SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/ and then click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page. We accept applications up to the add deadline for the quarter. This course is cross-listed with Environment and Resources (ENVRES TBA).
Last offered: Spring 2023 | Units: 3 | Repeatable 3 times (up to 9 units total)

LAW 808V: Policy Practicum: Moving Forward from Dobbs

This policy lab will build on the work of the Fall 2022 policy lab that researched three specific issues related to the Dobbs decision: medical abortion, restrictions on travel, and issues related to the collection and dissemination of information between and among providers and patients. The goal of the Spring 2023 policy lab is to develop a strategy for getting the information developed in the Fall 2022 policy lab to the field. In particular, students in the policy lab will identify how service providers and funders effectively receive information (offline through community-driven programs or online through websites and working with Google search and other engines) and specifically how they are obtaining information related to state abortion laws. The students will identify and speak with relevant legal and policy organizations to determine how they share legal information with funders and service providers. This "market research" will help inform (1) who our client should be and (2) more »
This policy lab will build on the work of the Fall 2022 policy lab that researched three specific issues related to the Dobbs decision: medical abortion, restrictions on travel, and issues related to the collection and dissemination of information between and among providers and patients. The goal of the Spring 2023 policy lab is to develop a strategy for getting the information developed in the Fall 2022 policy lab to the field. In particular, students in the policy lab will identify how service providers and funders effectively receive information (offline through community-driven programs or online through websites and working with Google search and other engines) and specifically how they are obtaining information related to state abortion laws. The students will identify and speak with relevant legal and policy organizations to determine how they share legal information with funders and service providers. This "market research" will help inform (1) who our client should be and (2) what kind of materials (offline v. online) we should develop (what forms work best, how should the information be presented and executed?) In the last few weeks of the quarter, the students will propose and develop initial drafts of those materials. Given that the terrain is rapidly changing, students will likely update the legal information collected by the Fall 2022 policy lab to ensure it remains accurate. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. The class will meet on Thursdays from 12-2 pm during the spring quarter. Interested students should complete the policy lab application available on the SLS Registrar website at https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/ and send the following to Debbie Mukamal (dmukamal@ law.stanford.edu) by March 27, 2023 at 5 pm: resume, transcript, one-page statement of interest and relevant experience.
Last offered: Spring 2023 | Units: 3 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 6 units total)

LAW 808W: Policy Practicum: Global Trends in Judicial Reforms

The past decade has been defined by democratic backsliding and the reemergence of authoritarianism around the globe. Freedom House marked 2021 as the 18th consecutive year of global democratic decline, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing polarization, and rising inequality. In the face of such trends, what role can a healthy, independent judiciary play in halting the rise of anti-democratic leaders and preserving the rule of law? Students enrolled in this policy lab will have the opportunity to investigate answers to this question by conducting comparative research on 21st century judicial reform efforts. Which nations have pursued innovative new strategies to improve the functioning of their judiciaries? Topics for research will include advances in judicial independence, vetting, appointment mechanisms, balance of power structures, constitutional review, access to justice, and other factors affecting the rule of law. This year, we will adopt a special focus on judicial ed more »
The past decade has been defined by democratic backsliding and the reemergence of authoritarianism around the globe. Freedom House marked 2021 as the 18th consecutive year of global democratic decline, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing polarization, and rising inequality. In the face of such trends, what role can a healthy, independent judiciary play in halting the rise of anti-democratic leaders and preserving the rule of law? Students enrolled in this policy lab will have the opportunity to investigate answers to this question by conducting comparative research on 21st century judicial reform efforts. Which nations have pursued innovative new strategies to improve the functioning of their judiciaries? Topics for research will include advances in judicial independence, vetting, appointment mechanisms, balance of power structures, constitutional review, access to justice, and other factors affecting the rule of law. This year, we will adopt a special focus on judicial education and the evolving role of technology in the judiciary. Students will have the opportunity to attend in-person talks and dinners with foreign Supreme Court and Constitutional Court Justices. (The lab has received grants to host these foreign justices at Stanford). Guests to the lab this year include visiting judges and Justices from Israel, India, Brazil, Mexico, and Poland. Students will be able to interview these judges in small groups. Students will compile their findings, along with recommendations for future research and reform efforts, into a judicial reform database. Throughout the quarter, students will survey the impact of a specific country's reforms on various stakeholders in the legal system, including judges, legal practitioners, and the public. The lab can also sponsor smaller student/research trips to other Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, or Chile. This practicum is by Consent of Instructor and has limited enrollment for law students who can demonstrate practical expertise or academic training in the field. Elements in used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available at SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/.
Last offered: Winter 2024 | Units: 2 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 4 units total)

LAW 808X: Policy Practicum: Becoming the Tech Creator and Regulator: Redefining Insurance Solutions

Consumers are often faced with insurance policies that are lengthy, incomprehensible, and incredibly vague. Whether it's healthcare, homeowners or auto insurance, people cannot easily determine the extent of coverage and risk represented in insurance contracts. The contracts alone do not express clearly whether they provide sufficient coverage to the individual and/or how to make use of them when a problem arises. In this Policy Practicum, jointly hosted by Stanford CodeX and the Legal Design Lab, students will research and learn both theoretical foundations and practical tools to develop solutions that solve for transparency, accessibility, and literacy in the insurance industry. Students will gather the technical knowledge of the industry, conduct client interviews, and learn design thinking and product management skills. We will focus on the use case of revolutionizing the insurance ecosystem to address the aforementioned issues. Students will first interview and understand our clie more »
Consumers are often faced with insurance policies that are lengthy, incomprehensible, and incredibly vague. Whether it's healthcare, homeowners or auto insurance, people cannot easily determine the extent of coverage and risk represented in insurance contracts. The contracts alone do not express clearly whether they provide sufficient coverage to the individual and/or how to make use of them when a problem arises. In this Policy Practicum, jointly hosted by Stanford CodeX and the Legal Design Lab, students will research and learn both theoretical foundations and practical tools to develop solutions that solve for transparency, accessibility, and literacy in the insurance industry. Students will gather the technical knowledge of the industry, conduct client interviews, and learn design thinking and product management skills. We will focus on the use case of revolutionizing the insurance ecosystem to address the aforementioned issues. Students will first interview and understand our client's, NAIC, needs in addressing the insurance concerns of various constituents, and identify their most pressing and specific obstacles. Students will act as creators -- in this role, they will learn skills on how to develop technologically driven solutions, gain an understanding of how to apply a suite of AI-driven applications, analyze legal information problems through the lens of computational law, and advise on how to best address clients' needs. Students will also gain insight into methodologies in Science and Technology Studies (STS) to critically analyze their solutions, when they transition into their roles as regulators. Technology-driven solutions are frequently developed in silos and do not have sufficient foresight around the unintended consequences. In applying an STS framework, they will evaluate their solution's policy implications: ethical, regulatory and legal standards; and fairness, accountability, and inclusivity measures. The policy lab aims to help students understand and contribute new insights and communities of practice on how to use, assess, develop, and iterate on technology-driven solutions that are "future-conscious," - weighed against ethical, regulatory and legal concerns, to help address NAIC's challenges in the insurance industry. This class is open to Stanford law students, and available for cross-registration for engineering, computer science, and humanities students. Students will be working together in small teams. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available at https://law.stanford.edu/education/courses/consent-of-instructor-forms/. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline.
Last offered: Winter 2023 | Units: 2

LAW 808Y: Policy Practicum: Harvesting Climate Benefits from Climate-Smart Agricultural & Forestry Practices

BACKGROUND. As part of its climate agenda, the Biden Administration is promoting "climate-smart" agricultural and forestry practices that can advance climate goals by sequestering carbon and/or reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. See Executive Order 14008, Section 216(b). Significant funding is being allocated to this effort. The recently-enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allocates nearly $20 billion to existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs that are presumed to generate climate benefits. Significantly, however, the IRA conditions the funding upon a Secretarial "determination" that the funds will "directly improve soil carbon, reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions." Separately, the USDA is moving forward with a $3.5 billion "Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities" program, which will test the proposition that when ag and forestry production practices generate discern more »
BACKGROUND. As part of its climate agenda, the Biden Administration is promoting "climate-smart" agricultural and forestry practices that can advance climate goals by sequestering carbon and/or reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. See Executive Order 14008, Section 216(b). Significant funding is being allocated to this effort. The recently-enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allocates nearly $20 billion to existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs that are presumed to generate climate benefits. Significantly, however, the IRA conditions the funding upon a Secretarial "determination" that the funds will "directly improve soil carbon, reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions." Separately, the USDA is moving forward with a $3.5 billion "Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities" program, which will test the proposition that when ag and forestry production practices generate discernable carbon benefits--as certified through an as-yet undefined process--farmers and foresters will be able to command higher market prices. PROBLEM SET. There are no well-defined protocols for how to measure, monitor, report and verify (collectively referred to as "MMRV") climate benefits associated with specific ag and forestry practices. Current survey techniques utilized by the USDA are imprecise, typically involve limited or no field testing and do not take advantage of newly available technologies. Developing solid MMRV muscle could generate multiple benefits, including: (1) providing a stronger rationale for paying farmers and foresters to deploy climate-smart practices; (2) enabling farmers and foresters to collect a market premium for commodities produced using climate-smart practices; and (3) setting sideboards that would improve the credibility of voluntary ag and forestry carbon markets. In addition to fundamental MMRV questions, no guidance has been developed, as yet, regarding closely-related requirements, including: (1) the criteria upon which a Secretarial "determination" of climate benefits will be made under IRA-funded programs; or (2) a market-recognized "climate-smart" certification that will be bestowed on commodities that have been produced using practices that generate climate benefits. PRACTICUM FOCUS. The practicum will develop evidence-based recommendations to the White House and the Department of Agriculture regarding how to effectively address climate aspects of its climate-smart ag and forestry IRA funding, and how to deploy its new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program to advance climate-related MMRV and commodity market opportunities for the ag and forestry sectors. Primary attention will be given to the identification of MMRV protocols in a rapidly-evolving technical context and how related policy determinations and certifications should be developed and potentially applied. Agricultural practices were the primary focus for the winter quarter practicum. FORESTRY PRACTICES WILL BE THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE COMPANION SPRING QUARTER PRACTICUM. (The practicum will be open to students through both the Law School and the Doerr Sustainability School. Research and policy development tasks undertaken in the practicum will include: (1) Identifying and critiquing current USDA MMRV protocols for climate-smart ag and forestry practices. (2) Gathering MMRV-related information pertinent to forestry practices from additional sources including: Private party proposals that the USDA has selected for funding under the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Voluntary carbon credit markets, where payments are based on forestry practices; Relevant RD&D efforts underway in industry, academic institutions, and technology incubators. (3) Identifying and convening individuals that have expertise in carbon sequestration in agricultural practices and forests and forest soils and recommending mechanisms through which the USDA could tap their expertise on an on-going basis. (4) Developing criteria that the Secretary of Agriculture potentially could apply when making IRA-required "determinations" regarding climate benefits related to IRA-funded agricultural and forestry-related programs. (5) Evaluating a range of climate-smart commodities certification approaches for agricultural and forest products that might be utilized, taking into account approaches that have been taken in other forestry contexts (e.g., forest stewardship certifications). Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments. CONSENT APPLICATION: To access the consent application for this course, go to the SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/ and then click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page. See application for deadline and instructions.
Last offered: Spring 2023 | Units: 2 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 4 units total)

LAW 808Z: Policy Practicum: Hot Money: Toward Effective Climate Finance and Policy in Southeast Asia

The fight to curb climate change will be won or lost in emerging markets and developing economies -- particularly those in Southeast Asia -- in which surging energy consumption and infrastructure investment today will lock in carbon-emission patterns for decades. Policymakers and investors in these countries and in international development institutions have pledged, most recently at international climate talks in Egypt in November 2022, aggressive emission reductions and significant funding to achieve them. But the environmental efficacy of that investment will depend on how well the spending is calibrated to the realities of the political economies -- that is, the structures of power -- in the countries in question. In this research seminar, also known as a policy practicum, students will work closely with policymakers and investors in Indonesia and/or Vietnam, and with international finance officials focused on those countries, on research that will help inform key energy and energy more »
The fight to curb climate change will be won or lost in emerging markets and developing economies -- particularly those in Southeast Asia -- in which surging energy consumption and infrastructure investment today will lock in carbon-emission patterns for decades. Policymakers and investors in these countries and in international development institutions have pledged, most recently at international climate talks in Egypt in November 2022, aggressive emission reductions and significant funding to achieve them. But the environmental efficacy of that investment will depend on how well the spending is calibrated to the realities of the political economies -- that is, the structures of power -- in the countries in question. In this research seminar, also known as a policy practicum, students will work closely with policymakers and investors in Indonesia and/or Vietnam, and with international finance officials focused on those countries, on research that will help inform key energy and energy-finance plans that are in the process of being crafted. The students' work will inform a series of workshops to be held with these players throughout 2023, and it will figure into writing submitted for publication. This work constitutes the next stage of a research program of the Stanford Climate of Infrastructure Project. The research earlier produced a peer-reviewed paper (on which students were named co-authors) illuminating patterns of international climate finance, and a variety of other writings. Because of the depth of the work involved, and of the benefit of continuity in it, students who agree to participate in this policy lab for two quarters -- both the winter 2023 and spring 2023 quarters - will be given priority to enroll. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Students enrolled in Section 02 (with instructor consent) will be required to write an individual research paper meeting the Law School's R paper requirements. CONSENT APPLICATION: To access the consent application for this course, go to link SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/ and then click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page. See application for deadline and instructions.
Last offered: Spring 2023 | Units: 3 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 6 units total)

LAW 809A: Policy Practicum: Governance and Regulation of Emerging Technologies

Policy Client: McCourt Institute, https://mccourtinstitute.org/. This policy lab will provide students an opportunity to learn about and write research reports concerning the governance of the newest technologies. The students will form three teams with each team producing one group report on one of the following technologies: (1) Blockchain (principally non-crypto applications); (2) virtual and extended reality; and (3) Generative AI (Chat GPT, Dall-E, etc.). There will be three classes on each topic -- one to describe the harms presented by the technology, another to investigate private governance solutions and best practices, and a final that will explore options for government regulation. The three group oral presentations and written reports will follow that same structure. The goal is to provide a blueprint for regulators and firms concerning governance of these new technologies. Students are expected to attend all classes. Students will consider the ethical implications of new more »
Policy Client: McCourt Institute, https://mccourtinstitute.org/. This policy lab will provide students an opportunity to learn about and write research reports concerning the governance of the newest technologies. The students will form three teams with each team producing one group report on one of the following technologies: (1) Blockchain (principally non-crypto applications); (2) virtual and extended reality; and (3) Generative AI (Chat GPT, Dall-E, etc.). There will be three classes on each topic -- one to describe the harms presented by the technology, another to investigate private governance solutions and best practices, and a final that will explore options for government regulation. The three group oral presentations and written reports will follow that same structure. The goal is to provide a blueprint for regulators and firms concerning governance of these new technologies. Students are expected to attend all classes. Students will consider the ethical implications of new technologies and the role of lawyers in mitigating risks for firms engaging in these new technologies. The class will be limited to 20 students -- at least half of whom will be law students. The other half will be comprised of graduate students and advanced undergraduates from disciplines across the university and who can demonstrate knowledge and background in the relevant technologies. The class will meet at the Law School on Mondays from 4:15 to 6:15 pm. NOTE: Admission is with consent of the instructor. Interested students should submit a one-paragraph statement describing their background and interest in the class and the particular technology for their focus. Submit statements of interest using the form available at https://forms.gle/DMgc4GVEX6wdKKZNA. Students should also complete the consent application form available at https://registrar.law.stanford.edu. SKILLS TRAINING: Students who enroll in a Law and Policy Lab practicum for the first time are asked to participate in the full-day methods boot camp on the first Saturday of the term. If you wish to earn course credit for developing your policy analysis skills, you may formally enroll in "Elements of Policy Analysis" ( Law 7846) for one-unit of additional credit. As you will see from the course description, credit for Law 7846 requires your attendance at the full-day methods boot camp plus at least two additional lunch-hour workshops. If you enroll in a practicum but prefer to audit the supplemental skills class -- rather than receive formal credit -- please let Policy Lab Program Director Luciana Herman (lherman@ law.stanford.edu) know and she will contact you with more details. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper.
Last offered: Spring 2023 | Units: 3

LAW 809B: Policy Practicum: Structuring Effective Carbon Markets

This policy lab project builds on Stanford Steyer-Taylor Center (STC) and Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFI) research and analysis on structuring effective carbon markets. It leverages related work and resources on campus, and engages with clients in the US government working to design effective US and International carbon markets. Steyer-Taylor Center and Sustainable Finance Initiative researchers have identified five key pieces to structuring effective carbon markets: (1) Carbon accounting for liabilities and assets in compliance and non-compliance markets; (2) scientific measurement issues covering quantity, duration and budgets; (3) property rights, mineral rights and legal issues underlying transactions; (4) market structure, securities, capital structures and trading infrastructure; and (5) regulation and the role of government actors. Students will work in small teams to help develop this vision for coordinated carbon markets by researching and writing (1) a series of position more »
This policy lab project builds on Stanford Steyer-Taylor Center (STC) and Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFI) research and analysis on structuring effective carbon markets. It leverages related work and resources on campus, and engages with clients in the US government working to design effective US and International carbon markets. Steyer-Taylor Center and Sustainable Finance Initiative researchers have identified five key pieces to structuring effective carbon markets: (1) Carbon accounting for liabilities and assets in compliance and non-compliance markets; (2) scientific measurement issues covering quantity, duration and budgets; (3) property rights, mineral rights and legal issues underlying transactions; (4) market structure, securities, capital structures and trading infrastructure; and (5) regulation and the role of government actors. Students will work in small teams to help develop this vision for coordinated carbon markets by researching and writing (1) a series of position papers covering the five topics listed above (a top-down approach); and (2) case studies of specific transactions (a bottom-up approach). Policy lab students may contribute generally to papers on the five topics or they may develop a case study on a specific transaction. The project seeks graduate and upper-division students from law, public policy, economics, finance, environmental science, and the Graduate School of Business. Please email your questions to instructor Alicia Seiger (aseiger@stanford.edu). Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Apply by March 20 through the Policy Lab Consent of Instructor form. To access the consent application for this course, go to link SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/ and then click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page.
Last offered: Spring 2023 | Units: 3

LAW 809C: Policy Practicum: Corporate Performance Standards on Racial and Economic Equity

This policy lab practicum focuses on corporations and racial and economic equity. Students will work closely with the instructor and a client called PolicyLink ( https://www.policylink.org/), which co-founded the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance ( https://corporateracialequityalliance.org/). Corporations have a critical and essential role to play in advancing racial and economic equity given their tremendous influence over economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions. Additionally, there is significant stakeholder demand for companies to stop perpetuating racial and economic inequalities. Establishing a common language and framework for businesses to advance racial and economic equity is a critical and urgently needed component of the transformation toward a just, equitable, and healthy society for all of us. Current corporate standards do not offer a clear or sufficiently comprehensive path on how to approach, measure, report, and motivate the achievement of racial and economi more »
This policy lab practicum focuses on corporations and racial and economic equity. Students will work closely with the instructor and a client called PolicyLink ( https://www.policylink.org/), which co-founded the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance ( https://corporateracialequityalliance.org/). Corporations have a critical and essential role to play in advancing racial and economic equity given their tremendous influence over economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions. Additionally, there is significant stakeholder demand for companies to stop perpetuating racial and economic inequalities. Establishing a common language and framework for businesses to advance racial and economic equity is a critical and urgently needed component of the transformation toward a just, equitable, and healthy society for all of us. Current corporate standards do not offer a clear or sufficiently comprehensive path on how to approach, measure, report, and motivate the achievement of racial and economic equity. PolicyLink and others in the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance are developing new corporate performance standards to address this gap. These standards are on track for publication in early 2024. Students will research the current reporting landscape (e.g., SEC disclosure rules) and map them to the standards. The results of their research will be reflected in the published corporate standards. This policy lab will give students an opportunity to learn about corporate governance, public disclosure rules, business practices, and the role of corporations in advancing racial and economic equity. Prior experience with business or corporate law is welcome but not necessary. Students will meet weekly to discuss research progress as well as related topics (e.g., ESG). This policy lab seeks students from law school and is also available for cross-registration from students in graduate and professional degree programs in business, economics, finance, and management science. Elements used in grading: Attendance, performance, class participation, written assignments. Consent Application: To access the consent application for this course, go to link SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/ and then click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page.
Last offered: Autumn 2023 | Units: 3

LAW 809D: Policy Practicum: "What's Next? After Students for Fair Admissions"

Policy Client: Stanford Center for Racial Justice, https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-center-for-racial-justice/. The Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions has upended nearly a half century of precedent. Universities that had long relied on race-based affirmative action in their admissions policies will no longer be permitted to do so. This policy lab will take up the question with which universities across the country must now grapple: What next? The orientation of the lab will be forward-looking and inclined toward innovation. New principles. New goals. New ideas. Rather than merely try to accomplish indirectly what the Supreme Court has prohibited universities from doing overtly, the practicum aims to treat the Supreme Court's prohibition of race-based affirmative action as an opportunity to reconsider more broadly the goals of selective college admissions and the ways in which America's leading educational institutions may reform admissions and associated practic more »
Policy Client: Stanford Center for Racial Justice, https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-center-for-racial-justice/. The Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions has upended nearly a half century of precedent. Universities that had long relied on race-based affirmative action in their admissions policies will no longer be permitted to do so. This policy lab will take up the question with which universities across the country must now grapple: What next? The orientation of the lab will be forward-looking and inclined toward innovation. New principles. New goals. New ideas. Rather than merely try to accomplish indirectly what the Supreme Court has prohibited universities from doing overtly, the practicum aims to treat the Supreme Court's prohibition of race-based affirmative action as an opportunity to reconsider more broadly the goals of selective college admissions and the ways in which America's leading educational institutions may reform admissions and associated practices in order to improve higher education broadly. Advanced education is crucially important both to national well-being and to racial justice. There is no path to racial justice that does not entail an educational system that works better for people of all backgrounds. The recent Supreme Court decisions regarding race preferences in admissions, and also student loan forgiveness, create an uncommon opportunity to fairly radically rethink how universities make good on their implicit bargain with the American people: to receive public patronage in exchange for enhancing educational opportunity and social mobility. Two understandings of the issues inform the scope of work. One is that race-based affirmative action is far from the only aspect of university activity that has been or will be subject to criticism. Thus, we will not limit our focus to the one practice the Supreme Court has already prohibited. Rather, the entire array of marketing, recruitment, admissions and outreach practices and principles should be up for re-examination. The other important point to understand is that a school's admissions practices are connected to broader questions about the role of prestigious colleges and universities in American society. Only through engaging those broader questions can one think clearly about the normative aims that selective colleges and universities should seek to further, through admissions, financial aid and otherwise. In considering the issues, the lab will squarely confront a salient feature of American higher education that has received too little attention: the extraordinary stratification of American colleges and universities. The institutions at the apex of the hierarchy are the envy of the world; they are wealthier, more influential, and more sought after than ever before in our history. Yet, they educate a minuscule percentage of all students, most of whom struggle at less well-resourced institutions, which themselves struggle financially among other operational and educational challenges. The lab will consider the extent to which this extreme stratification is incompatible with the educational needs of our nation and will explore and develop strategies to counter it. The work product of the lab will be a guidance document for universities, policymakers, and stakeholders across the country that serves as a road map for how to promote learning and advance racial justice after Students for Fair Admissions. The report will synthesize and evaluate the most successful higher education reforms and offer robust analysis, innovative policy development and recommendations for how to forge better systems of learning for all students. Accomplishing this goal will require the participants in the lab to understand and assess a wide array of issues concerning the structure and goals of higher education, and to take arguments that emanate from conservatives as seriously as those that emanate from liberals. Students in this policy lab will research, identify, and design strategies and policy solutions to entrenched racial inequities within our higher education system, particularly at our most elite universities. Students will take a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving in the lab, researching and interacting with a wide range of experts and relevant fields, including but not limited to government, law, business, education, psychology, sociology, health, and technology. This class is open to Stanford Law School students, and available for cross-registration for undergraduate and graduate students from across campus. We highly encourage students from outside the Law School to apply, particularly students from the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Business, and those interested in developing their design-thinking skills. Students will be working together in small teams. Grading will be based on presentations, class participation, group work, and written assignments, including a final paper. The long-term client for this policy lab is the Stanford Center for Racial Justice. Please note this lab is a fall quarter 3-unit commitment with the option for a winter quarter extension. The winter quarter extension is a variable 1-3 units. For winter term, this policy practicum is open only to students who are continuing in the project from the fall term. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete a Consent Application Form available at SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. Additionally, students must submit a resume, transcript, and brief policy exercise via email to Dionna Rangel at drangel@ law.stanford.edu. Applications are due by Sunday, September 17 at 11:59 pm. Directions for the policy exercise are below. POLICY EXERCISE: You are a senior advisor to the president of a small university that has relied on using race as a factor in their admissions process. The president has expressed major concerns about the implications for the school after the Supreme Court's decision to strike down affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions. They have asked you to draft a policy memo to help them navigate the uncertainty brought on by this landmark decision, specifically: 1. Briefly summarize Students for Fair Admissions, including what the decision says is prohibited and what is permitted. 2. Identify potential avenues for the university to respond to the decision that might be worthy of further investigation, including innovative policy ideas and reforms but also anything the administration should be thinking about more broadly as a higher education institution. 3. Include a short bibliography of select readings that can help the president stay informed about the issues, ideas, and responses post-affirmative action. The memo should be no longer than two pages, single-spaced, and use 12-point font. SKILLS TRAINING: Students who enroll in a Law and Policy Lab practicum for the first time are asked to participate in the full-day methods boot camp typically held on the first Saturday of the term. If you wish to earn course credit for developing your policy analysis skills, you may formally enroll in "Elements of Policy Analysis" ( Law 7846) for one unit of additional credit. As you will see from the course description, credit for Law 7846 requires your attendance at the full-day methods boot camp plus at least two additional lunch-hour workshops. If you enroll in a practicum but prefer to audit the supplemental skills class -- rather than receive formal credit -- please let Policy Lab Program Director Luciana Herman (lherman@ law.stanford.edu) know and she will contact you with more details. Only students who participated in the prior quarter's project will be admitted to the spring quarter practicum. Elements used in grading: Attendance, performance, class participation, written assignments, and final paper.
Last offered: Spring 2024 | Units: 1-3 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 6 units total)
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