Gerald P. López (born 1948) is Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law.[1] He is also the author of several influential books about lawyering and law practice.
Gerald P. López | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948 |
| Occupation | Professor of Law |
| Known for | Rebellious Lawyering |
Education and early career edit
López obtained his B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Southern California in 1970 and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1974.[citation needed]
He served as a judicial clerk for Edward J. Schwartz, then joined three other attorneys in founding a firm specializing in criminal defense, civil rights litigation and community mobilization.[1] They used criminal defense, immigration law, and personal injury cases to pay the bills and subsidize their civil rights practice, where the odds of winning were less.[2] It was around this same time that he began teaching, also to support his civil rights practice.[2]
Teaching career edit
He has taught at UCLA School of Law, Stanford Law School, New York University School of Law, and Harvard Law School.[1]
At Stanford he co-founded the now defunct Lawyering for Social Change Program,[2] at UCLA the Program in Public Interest Law and Policy,[1] and the Center for Community Problem Solving at NYU.[3]
Law students at Yale Law School have organized an annual public interest law conference called RebLaw, which was inspired by Lopez's book Rebellious Lawyering.[4]
Writing edit
He has published many books about lawyers as problem-solvers.[1] In Rebellious Lawyering he sought to develop a new vision of the progressive practice of law.[2] He is an advocate of client-centered lawyering, rather than the traditional approach to law practice which sees the lawyer as all-knowing and the client as powerless and needing help.[2] The client-centered approach sees lawyers as working with clients, rather than on their behalf.[2] He believes that a lawyer should be knowledgeable about the culture and experiences of the groups that lawyer works with, and is an advocate of integrating the fields of law and sociology and anthropology.[2]
As a result of his approach, he advocates for comprehensive and coordinated legal and non-legal problem solving in low-income, of color, and immigrant communities.[1]
Works edit
Books edit
- Rebellious Lawyering: One Chicano’s Vision of Progressive Law Practice (1992)
- Reentry Guide to New York City (2005)
- Streetwise About Money (2006)
- A Fair and Just Workplace (2006)
Rebellious Lawyering Institute edit
Professor López is a co-founder of the Rebellious Lawyering Institute.[5] The Rebellious Lawyering Institute has sponsored three law conferences in New Mexico, in 2008, 2010, and 2013, and a fourth law conference at UC Hastings College of Law, San Francisco, California in 2014.[5]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Faculty profile, UCLA, retrieved 2015-01-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g MirandŽ, Alfredo (Sep 1, 2011). Rascuache Lawyer: Toward a Theory of Ordinary Litigation. University of Arizona Press. pp. 6–16, 104, 144–145. ISBN 9780816529834. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ López, Gerald (April 2004). "SHAPING COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVING AROUND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE" (PDF). N.Y.U. L. Rev. 79: 59. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ "About RebLaw". Yale. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ a b "About the Rebellious Lawyering Institute". Rebellious Lawyering Institute. Retrieved 29 January 2015.