The University of New Mexico School of Law has embarked on curricular developments to increase the number of immigration attorneys who will assist women and children at New Mexico’s southern border. UNM has an established mandatory clinical law program that includes the possibility of representation in immigration matters through its Community Lawyering Clinic. We have expanded experiential learning opportunities to students throughout their education, including an immigration project open to all clinical law students; a drafting course that meets a law school curricular writing requirement; externships at the border with supervisory assistance from law faculty; a spring break course at the border; and a fellowship. This programming has resulted in creative thinking to expand opportunities that do not require a budget increase, such as new clinical collaborative projects, experiential learning “sidecar” add-ons to human rights and immigration courses, and the creation of a mentorship program.
After the facilitators briefly share their experiences and plans that expand experiential learning throughout the curriculum, they will lead an interactive discussion with participants about other programs and possibilities. The sequence will depend on audience composition but may be based on learning per academic level or type of course. Areas of discussion will include how to develop a course that will be approved by the curriculum committee; what or how do we want to teach and how we can do it without a budget or find financing; whether courses should be limited based on student year in school; whether pre-requisites are necessary; ensuring focus on law school mission and values, and preparation for practice. Takeaways will include curriculum and course design ideas. Syllabi with student learning outcomes and performance criteria and course descriptions will be shared. This model may be transferable to other substantive areas, such as domestic violence, environmental law, or child advocacy.