Cy Pres Funds at UC Law San Francisco
UC Law San Francisco’s academic and research centers are dedicated to public service, legal scholarship, and cutting-edge programming.
In the legal system, cy pres awards are funds generated when courts direct unclaimed or undistributable class action settlement to a nonprofit organization that serves a purpose close to the original intent of the underlying case. These awards ensure that unclaimed or undistributable settlement funds continue to serve the public interest and further the goals of the case.
The term “cy pres” comes from the French phrase “cy pres comme possible,” meaning “as near as possible.” UC Law SF’s centers are eligible recipients for cy pres funds.
Business Tax Practicum for Social Enterprises: The Business Tax Practicum explores issues of business taxation in the context of social enterprises that combine social impact with their business strategies. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving business taxation.
Child Welfare Practicum: The Child Welfare Practicum provides legal advocacy in child welfare proceedings through partnerships with Legal Services for Children, East Bay Children’s Law Office, and the San Francisco Dependency Panel. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving child welfare, foster care, and family separation.
Community Group Advocacy & Social Change Lawyering Clinic: The clinic supports systemic change by working with attorneys at Bay Area public interest organizations and grassroots groups on community-driven legal strategies. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving community-based advocacy, civil rights, or systemic social change.
Criminal Practice Clinic: The Criminal Practice Clinic engages in criminal litigation through partnerships with Bay Area prosecutors’ and public defenders’ offices. Cy pres awards from cases involving criminal justice reform, prosecutorial practices, or defense rights would advance its work.
Environmental Law Clinic: The Environmental Law Clinic addresses environmental protection and sustainability through working with experts in non-profit environmental groups and government agencies. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving environmental protection, conservation, or pollution.
Government Law Clinic: The Government Law Clinic supports local governments through legal research, ordinance drafting, and participation in public meetings and hearings. The clinic works with city attorneys’ offices around the Bay Area. Cy pres awards from cases involving local regulatory issues, government transparency, or public administration would align with the clinic’s goals.
Immigrants’ Rights Clinic: The Immigrants’ Rights Clinic provides direct legal representation and advocacy for individuals facing immigration issues. Cy pres awards from cases that involve immigration enforcement, asylum, or detention conditions would advance its work.
Individual Representation Clinic: The Individual Representation Clinic offers comprehensive legal services to individuals in administrative and judicial proceedings. Cy pres awards from cases involving administrative law, access to representation, or legal claims affecting individuals in administrative claims would align with the Clinic’s goals.
Lawyering for Children Practicum at Legal Services for Children: Lawyering for Children Practicum advocates for children and other vulnerable populations impacted by trauma. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving child advocacy or the protection of vulnerable children.
Legislation Clinic: The Legislation Clinic engages in legislative process through legal research, drafting, and attending committee and floor sessions in Sacramento. Cy pres awards involving public policy or legislative reform would advance the clinic’s mission.
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic: The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic delivers free legal assistance to taxpayers facing active tax controversies with the Internal Revenue Service. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving tax administration, taxpayer rights, or IRS practices.
Mediation Clinic: The Mediation Clinic provides dispute resolution services in civil and discrimination issues. As part of the Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, the clinic promotes non-adversarial approaches to conflict resolution. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving arbitration practices or access to alternative dispute resolution.
Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors Clinic: The Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors Clinic collaborates with healthcare providers and addresses the legal needs of elderly patients. Cy pres awards from cases involving healthcare access for elders or nursing home practices would advance the clinic’s work.
Refugee & Human Rights Clinic: The Refugee & Human Rights Clinic engages in human rights advocacy and the legal protection of refugees seeking asylum and related relief. Cy pres awards from cases involving refugee protection, asylum law, human trafficking, or gender-based violence would align with the clinic’s mission.
Social Enterprise and Economic Empowerment Clinic: The Social Enterprise and Economic Empowerment Clinic provides corporate and transactional legal support to both for-profit and non-profit organizations pursuing social and economic equity. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving economic justice or nonprofit governance.
Startup Legal Garage: Startup Legal Garage supports Bay Area startup community and provide corporate and intellectual property legal services. Cy pres awards from cases that involve startup regulation, intellectual property, or access to legal services for startups would be appropriate.
Workers’ Rights Clinic: The Workers’ Rights Clinic advances workplace justice by providing legal advocacy on labor and employment law issues affecting low-income workers. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving labor and employment law violations, unpaid wages, workplace discrimination, or unemployment benefits.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Externship: The ADR Externships provide supervised opportunities for experiential learning in dispute resolution, offering exposure to mediation, arbitration, and organizational conflict-resolution programs. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving mediation, arbitration, or reforms to alternative dispute resolution would advance the program’s goals.
Corporate Counsel Externship Program: The Corporate Counsel Externship Program offers hands-on training in in-house legal departments of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, preparing students for business and transactional law practice. Cy pres awards from cases involving corporate governance or business compliance would be especially appropriate here.
Judicial Externship Program: The Judicial Externship Program places students to work in federal and state trial and appellate and at a variety of federal and state agencies, where they support judges through legal research, writing, and case analysis. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving court administration, access to courts, or judicial transparency.
Legal Externship Program: The Legal Externship Program provides opportunity to gain supervised legal experience in government agencies or nonprofit organizations in practice areas not otherwise available through clinical course offerings. Cy pres awards from cases involving government accountability or nonprofit legal advocacy would align with the program’s goals.
UCDC Law Program: The UCDC Law Program is a full-semester externship in Washington, DC that combines a full-time filed placement with an academic seminar focused on law and policy making at the federal level. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving federal policy or public administration.
First-Generation Program
The First-Generation Program supports, strengthens, and celebrates students who are the first in their families to attend college or professional school through community building, tailored networking, and access to support services. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving educational equity or access to higher education.
Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP)
Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP) promotes access to legal education for students from adverse backgrounds through sustained academic support and skill-building throughout law school. Cy pres awards from cases involving educational access, racial or economic inequality, or legal diversity would advance the program’s mission.
Pro Bono Program
UC Law SF’s Pro Bono Program connects students with nonprofit organizations and attorneys to deliver essential legal services to underserved communities while fostering a lifelong commitment to public service. Cy pres awards would be appropriate from cases involving civil rights or matters affecting underserved populations.
UC Law SF academic and research centers suggested as cy pres award recipients are listed below. Contact Chief Advancement Officer Julia Jordan at jordanjulia@uclawsf.edu for more information about cy pres funds and any other eligible programs.
AI Law & Innovation Institute: The AI Law & Innovation Institute addresses the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies by drawing together scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders to develop innovative frameworks. Cy pres awards from cases involving data-privacy breaches, or technology-related employment discrimination would advance its mission.
UC Center for Business Law: The UC Center for Business Law brings together scholars, business leaders, practitioners, regulators, and students to engage in the study, teaching, and practice of business law. The Center explores the intersection of business and law in San Francisco, one of the world’s leading commercial, finance, and technology hubs. Cy pres awards from cases involving securities fraud, antitrust, or consumer class actions would support the Center’s mission.
Center for Constitutional Democracy: The Center for Constitutional Democracy advances and defends constitutional rights and democratic principles through research, public engagement, and legal advocacy. Cy Pres awards from cases involving civil rights, the First Amendment, or voting rights would support its mission to protect democratic principles.
Center for East Asian Legal Studies: The Center for East Asian Legal Studies serves as a hub that bridges U.S. and East Asian legal systems by facilitating scholarship and professional exchange on East Asian legal systems. Cy pres awards from international trade disputes or cross-border transactions would align with the Center’s mission.
Equality Action Center: The Equality Action Center works to advance structural equality by addressing inequality with evidence-based interventions and leadership development in the workplace and in politics. Cy pres awards from cases involving employment discrimination, gender harassment, or systemic bias settlements would support the Center’s mission.
Indigenous Law Center: The Indigenous Law Center works to educate students and expand knowledge of U.S. law for Native and Indigenous peoples, in collaboration with the school’s Restorative Justice Advisory Board. Cy pres awards from cases involving tribal land disputes, treaty enforcement, or heritage protection would align with the Center’s goals.
Center for Innovation (C4i): The Center for Innovation promotes data-driven law-making and empowers regulators with implementable solutions at the intersection of law and technology. Cy pres awards from cases involving cybersecurity or data breach would advance the Center’s mission.
International Development Law Center: The International Development Law Center builds global contacts and opportunities across disciplines and cultures, implementing international projects in a variety of subject areas. Cy pres awards from cases involving international corruption or cross-border human rights would advance its work.
Center for Gender and Refugee Studies: The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies is a leading advocacy organization dedicated to protecting women asylum seekers fleeing gender-based violence and engaging students and scholars in refugee law. Cy pres awards involving asylum rights, gender-based violence, or human trafficking would advance the Center’s mission.
LexLab: LexLab connects students and alumni to engineers, founders, and lawyers to advance ethical, forward-thinking approaches to technology and global regulation. Cy pres awards from cases involving privacy or cybersecurity would advance the Center’s mission.
Center for Litigation and Courts: The Center for Litigation and Courts offers research, resources, and learning opportunities in civil litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and the functioning of our courts. Cy pres awards from cases focused on procedural fairness or judicial transparency would align with the Center’s goals.
Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution: The Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution equips students and professionals with the knowledge and skills to negotiate, mediate, arbitrate, and settle disputes outside of traditional litigation. Cy pres awards from cases that involve legal issues related to the alternative dispute resolution would be especially appropriate here.
Center for Race, Immigration, Citizenship, and Equality: The Center for Race, Immigration, Citizenship, and Equality supports scholarship, education, and public service that examine how intersecting and marginalized identities shape and are shaped by structural inequality. Cy pres awards from cases involving immigration detention abuse, racial profiling, or voter suppression would be well aligned with the Center’s goals.
Center for Racial and Economic Justice: The Center for Racial and Economic Justice advances equity through legal scholarship, collaboration, and critical examination of how law reinforces racial and economic subordination. Cy pres awards from cases involving wage theft, predatory lending, or housing discrimination would support the Center’s mission.
Center for Social Justice: The Center for Social Justice leads the law school’s social justice activities and supports students in integrating justice work into their legal education and future practice. Cy pres awards from cases involving civil rights or community development would be consistent with the Center’s objectives.
Center on Tax Law: The Center on Tax Law connects students, practitioners, and scholars to study, discuss, and improve tax law through academic forums, professional development, and community engagement. Cy pres awards from cases involving tax compliance, tax shelter fraud, or any other tax-related issues would be strongly connected with the Center’s work.
UCSF-UC Law Consortium on Law, Science & Health Policy: The UCSF/UC Law Consortium on Law, Science & Health Policy promotes interdisciplinary education, research, and service at the nexus of law, science, and medicine. Cy pres awards from cases involving pharmaceutical, toxic exposure, medical device, or public health litigation would advance the Consortium’s work.
Center for WorkLife Law: The Center for WorkLife Law is a national advocacy and research organization advancing gender and racial equity in work and education by strengthening legal rights for pregnant people and family caregivers. Cy pres awards from cases involving employment discrimination, pregnancy bias, or family leave would be considered appropriate.