Gonzaga School of Law launching new LGBTQ+ rights clinic

Erin Robinson by Erin Robinson

Gonzaga Law School Recognized for Diversity

SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga University’s School of Law announced the launch of its new LGBTQ+ rights clinic on Friday.

The Lincoln LGBTQ+ Rights Clinic will work to advance the equal rights and dignity of individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ through education, programming, advocacy, research and legal representation.

“Gonzaga Law School is one of only a handful of institutions of higher education across the nation to launch this kind of initiative,” said Jacob Rooksby, dean at Gonzaga’s School of Law. “More notably, we are the first law school in Washington state, and in the Inland Northwest, to do so.”

The clinic will offer legal services to members of the public. Second- and third-year law students, under the direction of a full-time faculty member, will directly work with those people.

“The Lincoln LGBTQ+ Rights Clinic provides a special opportunity for Gonzaga law students to help protect and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, both regionally and nationally,” said Jason Gillmer, professor, and director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights. “Through the Center, the clinic will also provide students and faculty with opportunities to engage in broader policy discussions about LGBTQ+ rights as we continue to strive for equality.”

According to a release from the Gonzaga News Service, the clinic will provide assistance with updating government identification cards, family law issues, domestic violence concerns and discrimination suits in housing, employment and public services.

Students will also have the opportunity to handles all phases of representation, including interviewing and counseling clients, fact-finding, brief writing and appearing in court hearings on behalf of clients.

Additionally, the clinic will work directly with Gonzaga’s GBTQ+ Resource Center to strengthen existing programming and services for studnts on campus.

“We are excited to launch this new clinic, which is informed by Gonzaga’s Catholic, Jesuit and humanistic mission of promoting and respecting individual dignity,” said Rooksby.

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