Welcome to StreetLaw! We’re a student organization based at Stanford Law School.

What is StreetLaw?

Our mission is to link law students with incarcerated and at-risk Bay Area youth through law-related education. We strive—through balanced information, activities, and discussion—to demystify the law, increase youths’ understanding and appreciation of the legal system, and to empower them to work productively within it. StreetLaw offers incarcerated and at-risk youth a chance to build a rapport with law students, giving both groups an opportunity to change preconceptions they may hold about the other. StreetLaw also offers law students a unique opportunity to hone their understanding of criminal law and policy in a practical setting.

Our history

The first StreetLaw program was established at Georgetown Law Center in 1972, when law students developed a legal curriculum to be taught to high school students in the Washington, DC public school system. The founders selected the name StreetLaw to represent the content of the course—practical law important in students’ everyday life, on the street. Programs modeled on StreetLaw have now been introduced around the globe in nations including Ghana, Haiti, India, Mongolia, Northern Ireland, Russia, and South Africa. StreetLaw began at Stanford Law School in 1996 and is now the largest pro bono organization at Stanford Law School.

What the students say

The teachers explained what the laws are and how they relate to our lifestyles and goals.

They broke it down so that we can understand what they are talking about.

I learned how to handle the police in a positive way.

Keep this program going. It is a good one.

Get involved

We’re always looking for volunteers at the Law School. We recruit new members at the pro bono fair at the beginning of each year. If you missed us, visit the contact page to get in touch.