STUDENT EXPERIENCE

“During my time with the Religious Freedom Clinic, I had the privilege of helping draft an appellate brief to the Ninth Circuit in Bolden-Hardge v. Office of the California State Controller. Not only did I gain a robust understanding of the intricacies of the laws of the First Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, but I also had the honor of learning with and from our client, Ms. Bolden-Hardge, about the significance of religious freedom in people's everyday lives. Working with Professor McDaniel taught me firsthand how strategizing for litigation is a client-centered practice which can be meticulously scrutinized—even at the level of the sentence—to guarantee the best possible outcome for our client. I feel like I became a better writer, thinker, and advocate throughout my time with the clinic, and I am tremendously grateful for the opportunities the clinic provided me.”

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Emily Chazen ‘22 

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“My experience at the Religious Freedom Clinic was one of the highlights of my time in law school. The clinic provided me with an excellent and unique opportunity to hone my passion for helping protect peoples’ Free Exercise rights. Professor McDaniel and Clinical Instructor Kelsey Flores provided insightful guidance while allowing me a significant amount of responsibility and discretion. The rounds discussions and group updates engendered a warm and collaborative atmosphere, such that the clinic felt unlike any other class. 

I was honored to have had the privilege to work on an amicus brief supporting a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Tuggle v. United States. Beyond being tasked with writing the brief, the Clinic entrusted me and my partner with finding amici, meeting with lead counsel, and constructing a strong argument. I am confident that the skills I developed under the tutelage of the clinic will serve me and my clients well in the future. I learned a great deal and feel so grateful to have had this meaningful and formative experience.”

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Alexander Rabinowitz ‘22 

“The Religious Freedom Clinic acted as a great capstone for my law school experience. From learning about constitutional law as a 1L and the First Amendment as a 2L, the Clinic provided an opportunity to apply that knowledge to real issues for clients as a 3L. Every student in the Clinic is passionate about religious freedom, which allowed me to learn how to be an effective advocate and writer from my peers. Also, the Clinical Professor and Instructor provided individualized and specific feedback on all of my projects, and I benefited from their experience working on these difficult issues. 

While working with a couple of other students on an amicus brief, we researched and drafted a brief that articulated how lower courts struggle to understand when strict scrutiny applies in Free Exercise Clause cases. By breaking down past cases in a categorical manner, we were able to help the court better understand when strict scrutiny should apply to protect against religious discrimination.”

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Ross Hildabrand ‘22