The Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law: Educating Future Lawyers sensible to the need of social change and access to justice

The Legal Assistance Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law is an instrument for the disadvantaged, disregarded, and discriminated population to demand justice. This reflection presents the work done by the Community Economic Development: Organizing and self-management section of the Law Clinic. As a required course, it offers the students the opportunity to start complying, early in their professional careers, with the ethics of serving the vulnerable ones by warranting access to quality legal representation. This paper analyses the different approaches to progressive advocacy for social change. Then it examines some outstanding cases worked by the Community Economic Development section of the Clinic where both the students and the clients have mutually contributed to improve the quality of life and their development. Revealing this academic model exposes its benefits and encourages its practice for giving students opportunities to serve and contribute to a sustainable social transformation.