The field of human rights law encompasses a wide array of topics. Miami Law students can pursue their own niche with our vast interdisciplinary offerings and complement their study of human rights law with courses in constitutional law, criminal law, family law, immigration law, international law, real estate law, and social justice and public interest law. Students learn to use the law to advance the rights of individuals and communities—from our own backyard in Miami to locations across the globe. Our students have a plethora of opportunities to gain hands-on advocacy experience. With our Human Rights Program and robust Human Rights Clinic and several other clinics and practicums directly addressing human rights issues, Miami Law allows its students to represent populations in need as part of their upper-level work. Given its large immigrant population and socioeconomic diversity, Miami provides an ideal setting to springboard your legal career in the United States or abroad. Students also gain access to our deep network of human rights lawyers, advocates, and scholars.
Some Facts about Miami and Miami Law
"The courses and experiences offered at the University of Miami School of law prepared me to work on international law and policy issues, with a focus on health and human rights law. The International Law LL.M. programme, the Human Rights Clinic, the International moot court programme, and the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center offer students rich opportunities to understand current and complex human rights issues, and directly apply new skills through litigation, advocacy, and other tools with the support of experienced professors. For me, the experiences at UM law helped lead to a career using law and policy to work towards improving access to quality health services for vulnerable populations in lower resourced countries facing significant health challenges. UM law has much to offer those who aim to work in both international and domestic forums." Drew Aiken, J.D./LL.M. in International Law '12 [pictured in Miami Law's Namibian neutral trial observers' program]
Humanitarian Affairs and Advocacy Manager, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
Juba, South Sudan
*Course list is not exhaustive and does not set out a path of study.
Academic Programs and Concentrations
“Being a part of the Human Rights Clinic honed not only my oral and written advocacy skills, but it opened my eyes to the wide-range of opportunities available to law students interested in public interest work.” Gabrielle Wynn, J.D. ‘20
Fellow, Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Washington, D.C.
More Clinics and Practicums
Joint Degrees
(PICTURED: Professor Tamar Ezer and Gabrielle Wynn, J.D. ’20 participate in Estonia’s review before the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.) Students engage with the United Nations, Inter-American Court and Commission on Human Rights, European Court of Human Rights, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, and other tribunals.
The only one of its kind in the U.S., Miami Law offers a unique and comprehensive International Moot Court Program in which students travel and compete, in Spanish and English, in competitions around the world. Students advocate the different sides of a case and analyze the problem, identify the legal issues, research the law, write the briefs and orally present it to a tribunal. There are opportunities to particulate in human rights moot court competitions, these have included:
“The Human Rights Clinic enabled us to prepare a well-thought out submission to the United Nations with a tight turnaround and bring attention to the critical issue of punitive drug policy’s harmful effects on a population that is often stigmatized and dehumanized. I hope to continue to use knowledge gained through the Human Rights Clinic to advocate for those who are most vulnerable in our society.” Gita Howard, J.D. '21
Human Rights Accountability Fellow, Human Rights First
Washington, D.C.
**List is not exhaustive and is intended to provide examples of past externships and internships.
“The Human Rights Clinic was the best professional and academic experience of my law school career. As a law student, I testified at an American Bar Association Hearing on Stand Your Ground laws, traveled to Geneva to speak before the United Nations, and provided opening remarks at a hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.” Charlotte Cassel, J.D. ‘14
Director of Strategic Partnerships at Health Information Project (HIP), Inc.
Miami, FL
(PICTURED: Professor Stephen Schnably exchanging ideas with students from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellin, Colombia, visiting for a human rights colloquium.)
Renowned human rights scholars, lawyers and advocates from around the world regularly visit Miami Law, giving public lectures, attending conferences and meeting with students and faculty. Miami Law faculty and the student-led Human Rights Society further organize various human rights events each semester. (PICTURED: Professor Tamar Ezer, Conor Arevalo, J.D. ’21 Melanie Ng, J.D. ’21 David Stuzin, J.D. ’21 present at the Petty Offenses Symposium: Challenging Criminalization of Poverty and Marginalization.) Sample past Human Rights Symposia and Conferences have included: See all current and past Human Rights Program Events. My participation in the Human Rights Clinic was an important part of my education at Miami Law and has helped position me to work as a lawyer in a range of different spaces. Not only did I have the opportunity to work with and learn from incredible instructors and colleagues, I had the privilege of collaborating with members of diverse communities and made lasting connections with networks of legal professionals. While doing global human rights work on HIV and gender as a fellow at Georgetown Law’s Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellowship, I was able to use the substantive knowledge, interpersonal skills, and experience and understanding of international institutions and processes that I gained through my study of human rights at Miami Law. The Human Rights Clinic also helped me develop critical thinking, legal writing, and organizational skills that I have used during my judicial clerkships and continue to use in my current position in private practice, where I focus on appellate and constitutional law. Rachel A. Oostendorp, J.D. ‘13
Attorney at Law, Carlton Fields
Miami, FL
HOPE Public Interest Resource Center - Home to many opportunities to do human rights work nationally and internationally, HOPE also regularly hosts information sessions on landing a job, fellowship or internship in the public interest and in human rights and supports students looking to work in the area of human rights and offers these programs: “Miami Law, first and foremost through the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center, has given me the ability to fund life-changing fellowships both my summers in law school. Without that funding, I would have never been able to do the work I did. I also gained irreplaceable experience from both the Human Rights and Immigration clinics, especially the Time's Up Project that took me out of the law school and into different parts of Miami-Dade County, working alongside community advocates. Of course, nothing beats having experience with real clients.” Alexis Bay, J.D. ‘20
Fellow, Texas Civil Rights Project