Giving to the Law School's Centers & Institutes
The scholastic centers and institutes at USD School of Law help forward the reputation of the school by making it possible to recruit and retain highly regarded faculty by providing them resources to pursue legal scholarship. Giving to any of our centers helps forward the law school's mission to become a top tier law school and provides students an opportunity to work closely with leading legal scholars in various law-related fields.
The Center for Corporate and Securities Law helps enrich scholarly and popular debate on a wide range of issues related to corporate governance, financial regulation and other business law topics. The center hosts academic and public conferences, publishes papers and discussions from those conferences, provides point-of-contact for popular and business media on issues of broad public interest, supports faculty and student research, and sponsors public lectures.
The Center for Education Policy and Law (CEPAL) is a joint undertaking of the USD School of Law and the School of Leadership and Education Sciences. It was established by a grant from the William D. Lynch Foundation in 2007, with the mission of fostering better linkage between educational research, policymaking, and practice. The Center undertakes empirical and legal research studies on regional and state level education policy and brings together education and community leaders at hosted events.
The Center for Intellectual Property Law and Markets (CIPLM) trains students in the fundamentals of intellectual property laws and in the ways clients use intellectual property (IP) rights to compete in real-world markets. CIPLM also provides a forum where lawyers, clients, judges and policymakers can share ideas about IP doctrines and policies. The center's policy workshops also provide opportunities for students and community members to engage discussion about current IP policy issues, focusing on the intersection between economic analysis and IP policy.
Founded in 1980, USD's Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL) serves as an academic center of research, learning and advocacy in administrative law; teaches direct lawyering skills in public interest law; represents the interests of the disadvantaged or underrepresented in state regulatory proceedings; and attempts to make the regulatory functions of state government more efficient and visible by serving as a public monitor of state agencies.
Originalism is the view that the Constitution should be interpreted in accordance with its original meaning—that is, the meaning it had at the time of its enactment. The Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism at the University of San Diego School of Law has as its mission the study of all aspects of originalism. In particular, the center studies arguments for and against the originalist theory of interpretation, the variety of specific originalist interpretive methods, and the original meaning of particular constitutional provisions.
The Children's Advocacy Institute (CAI) is an academic, research and advocacy center dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of California's children. Through its academic program, CAI trains law students to be effective child advocates, providing unique clinical opportunities through the Child Advocacy Clinic. Through its research and advocacy component, CAI represents children in the California legislature, in the courts, before administrative agencies and through public education programs. CAI's goal is to ensure that children's interests are effectively represented whenever and wherever government makes policy and budget decisions that affect them.
A joint undertaking of USD Legal Clinics, School of Leadership and Education Sciences and USD Counseling Center, COMPASS helps families cope more effectively with the challenges and needs presented by having a child with a disability or chronic illness. Offered by upper division law students under the supervision of an attorney, education advocacy assistance at COMPASS provides legal services that range from advice and consultation to formal mediation to due process hearings. Consultations are free and can assist parents in navigating the laws and regulations regarding special education.
In January 2005, the law school received $2.7 million from the San Diego District Attorney to create an energy policy and research center. The award came as a result of a settlement from a lawsuit against Duke Energy.
Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC) is a non-profit academic and research center of the University of San Diego School of Law that studies energy policy issues affecting the San Diego region and California. EPIC integrates research and analysis, law school study, and public education, and serves as a source of legal and policy expertise and information in the development of sustainable solutions that meet our future energy needs.
The Institute for Law and Philosophy was established at the University of San Diego in the fall of 2000. The fundamental goal of the institute is to unite philosophical issues with jurisprudence. This is accomplished through a variety of programs designed to explore and educate regarding the various philosophical issues that arise from legal doctrines, legal institutions and legal practice. Such programs include roundtable discussions, academic conferences, public lectures and educational programs. The institute selects the leading academics, lawyers, and judges who define the topic at hand, and invites them to engage in discussion that ultimately is later published, discussed and/or edited.
For more information about giving to the law school's centers and institutes, please call the Development and Alumni Relations Office at (619) 260-4692.
