School of Law Centers and Institutes
Center for Public Interest Law
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.
Children's Advocacy Institute
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.
Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC)
The
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.
Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism
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.
Institute for Law and Philosophy
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.
Center for Corporate and Securities Law
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.
Center for Intellectual Property Law and Markets
The Center for Intellectual Property Law and Markets 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. USD's focus on the role of IP rights in markets distinguishes it from other, more traditional IP centers. It 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.
