evolution

origin

In January 2003 reproductive rights were only vaguely present or vanishing completely from the coursework, conversations, and campus activism taking place at law schools throughout the United States. Only a handful of schools offered elective courses in reproductive rights law, and coverage in other courses was often deficient. An even smaller number of schools had student organizations dedicated to reproductive health advocacy or staff who could connect interested students to legal leaders in the field. That winter a recent law school graduate named Cari Sietstra set out to provide law students with the much-needed learning, training, and networking opportunities she had lacked while in school. Her efforts have evolved into a powerful nonprofit network of law students, professors, and lawyers committed to reshaping the law school experience and guaranteeing the future of reproductive justice by preparing those who will pursue and protect it for generations to come.

progress

LSRJ has made an indelible impact on legal education and reproductive justice organizing. Since its founding, LSRJ has:

• grown a presence on over 100 law school campuses across the country;
• reached over 9,000 law students through email digests, newsletters, listservs, conference calls, webinars, events, and other communications;
• guided 23 victorious campaigns for new reproductive rights law courses, clinics, and reading groups;
• distributed over 35,000 electronic and print publications, including the Constitutional Law Primer, Human Rights Law Primer, Easy-Events-in-an-Envelope, Fact Sheets, Internship and Fellowship Guide, Model Curriculum, and Student Activist Binder;
• presented 8 national events, 23 regional conferences, and 19 law and policy trainings;
• hosted or placed over 50 legal interns and 17 legal fellows in the field; and
• supported over 1,500 activist and educational events on law school campuses.

Today, thanks to LSRJ’s dedicated members, staff, and supporters, reproductive rights are reappearing on law school campuses across the U.S. with renewed vitality and reassuring promise.