Legislative & Public Policy Clinic Goals and Structure
This Clinic provides an opportunity for students to represent client sponsors to develop legislative or public policy change. Students engage with experienced professionals in the Legislature and can develop a network of Capitol area contacts.
The Legislative & Public Policy Clinic provides a practical skills experience in researching, drafting, and pursuing adoption of California state legislative and public policy changes. Students will interact with client sponsors, elected and appointed officials in state government and their staff, lobbyists, and public affairs professionals. Students often work to develop coalitions and interact with the media in support of a legislative proposal.
Students participate in a weekly instructional seminar. A total of 150 hours per semester is required. The Clinic is a year-long, 3-credit-per-semester clinic, open only to graduating students.
Prerequisites for Enrollment
A written application is required. Previous or concurrent enrollment in Lawmaking in California (822) is required. Students participating in the Capital Lawyering Concentration will receive preferred enrollment.
Professors
Professor Cathy Christian is a retired partner at Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross, and Leoni, with extensive experience in election, campaign, and government law. As an attorney and legislative advocate, she represented governmental and commercial interests before the Legislature and state agencies. Previously, she handled litigation and legislative issues in the California Attorney General's office, was an appellate lawyer for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, and a staff attorney for a legal services program. You can contact Professor Christian at cchristian1@pacific.edu.
Professor Aaron Brieno served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for California State Senator Ben Hueso and recently completed a graduate program at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. He is also the founder of Inspire California, a social impact nonprofit that provides college access resources to historically underserved communities within California's San Joaquin Valley. Aaron also has extensive political campaign experience as a senior advisor for multiple regional California races. You can contact Professor Brieno at abrieno@pacific.edu.
Recent Legislative and Public Policy Clinic Bills
Since the Clinic began in 2013, students have worked on 16 bills that later became enacted into law.
2026
SB 1237 (Blakespear)
2025
AB 1155 (Fong)
2024
AB 805 (Arambula)
2022
AB 1232 (McCarty)
2021
SB 311 (Hueso)
Other Questions?
Contact Linda Coco, Director of Legal Clinics
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