Professor Jeff Baker and Community Justice Clinic Featured in Malibu Times

The Malibu Times recently featured Pepperdine Law Professor Jeff Baker and the work being done through Community Justice Clinics. In "Law & Ordinance," Baker explains how the clinical program he runs with law students provides pro bono legal services to local nonprofits. He also discusses potential for an increasingly global impact of the clinical program through a partnership with Malibu-based Medicine for Humanity. As Director of Clinical Education, Baker continues his scholarship addressing domestic violence and gender justice in families and helping those less fortunate in the community with free access to the finest legal minds.

Via The Malibu Times:

Jeff Baker says he has a particular kind of law professing at Pepperdine where he is more like the managing partner of a public interest law firm and the students are the associates.

“Most law professors teach big classes and write a lot,” he said. “I am a clinical law professor at Pepperdine where we teach through practice. We teach our students law by practicing with them with real clients,” Baker said.

In the Community Justice Clinic, Baker practices with law students to provide pro bono legal services to local nonprofits and international nongovernmental organizations dedicated to justice, human rights and community empowerment among vulnerable and marginalized populations. The law clinic serves clients in the fields of homelessness and poverty; gender-based crimes and women’s empowerment; sustainable agriculture and rainforest conservation; human trafficking and access to education; and farm-worker rights. Most of the clients in the Malibu community for whom the clinic provides legal services work with the homeless, migrant and day workers—but some have a global reach, like Malibu-based Medicine for Humanity. MFH began as a client and now Baker serves on its board of directors.

The complete article may be found here.

An associated podcast from author Claire Fordham, featuring Professor Baker, will follow April 11.