Bill Ong Hing, “Raising Personal Identification Issues of Class, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Physical Disability, and Age in Lawyering Courses”

This paper describes how personal identification issues are raised in three different lawyering classes, one of which is an immigration clinic, and how issues of identity difference can be raised more effectively. In this immigration clinic course, students meet weekly in a group and with supervising attorneys to discuss their work. The group meeting consists of several substantive areas of the law but also involves reviewing the personal identification issues.

The clinic in question throughout the article, the Immigration Clinic, East Palo Alto Community Law Project, requires students to represent clients who are facing deportation. Common personal identification issues include class, gender, race, ethnicity, and cultural differences that exist between the student and the deported client. Consciousness and sensitivity to these issues in the legal environment contribute to good lawyering. Supervisors should actively encourage students to attempt to dispel unreasonable notions surrounding personal identification issues and closely supervise and engage in constant discussions with students with respect to strategies and the student-client relationship. For instance, students are encouraged to see what they can do to be effective despite their differences by taking the perspective that the differences can also be conducive to a positive working relationship.

Bill Ong Hing, “Raising Personal Identification Issues of Class, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Physical Disability, and Age in Lawyering Courses” (1993) 45:6 Stan L Rev 1807.