Many of us learned the phrase “and justice for all” before we were old enough to understand how unevenly justice is experienced in this country. In practice, access to legal help is too often shaped by geography, income and circumstance.

At the UC Davis School of Law, our faculty and students stand up for those denied equal access to justice, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights protected no matter where they live or what their income is.

One of the most pervasive barriers to justice is the shortage of attorneys in rural areas, with only 3% practicing in the state's rural or frontier regions. In these “legal deserts,” there aren’t enough attorneys to assist everyone needing help. This problem is especially pronounced in places like Merced County in the Central Valley, where there is only one attorney for every 1,200 residents, but the issue extends across the state.

Kaly Rule, a 2017 graduate of the School of Law, is helping address this crisis. As the Lake County Family Law Facilitator, her office serves 30 clients a day. They assist people who can’t afford an attorney with matters ranging from small-claims disputes to family law and evictions.  While they don’t represent clients in court, they provide critical preparation that expands access to justice while improving the court’s efficiency. She says that her experience in Professor Lisa Pruitt’s Law and Rural Livelihoods opened her eyes to the needs of rural communities and the opportunities to practice in them.

Clinics doing vital work

Our graduates are practicing in these communities, and our student clinics are also offering services to meet residents' immediate needs to ensure their rights are protected.

The Water Justice Clinic is one example of how students are improving lives in underserved communities. By providing legal support to rural and low-income populations struggling with substandard and contaminated water supplies, the clinic fights for access to safe, reliable water. Bolstered by a new $3.2 million grant, the clinic will expand this work over the next three years, enabling students and faculty to partner with communities and individuals who lack access to legal services. The Small Farmer Water Clinic extends this impact, helping farmers navigate complex water regulations and protect their livelihoods.

Geography is not the only barrier to legal services. Lack of resources can be just as limiting for people who need help. Our School of Law students are stepping up to serve these communities in Yolo County and beyond.

The Domestic and Sexual Violence Law Clinic delivers critical legal assistance, including obtaining protective restraining orders, to some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Their work advocating for survivors of intimate partner violence, stalking and sexual assault in Yolo County is crucial for providing a sense of security to face complex legal challenges in the most difficult circumstances. Professor Kelly Behre, who has led the clinic for more than a decade, recently received the Academic Federation Distinguished Service Award for her work, a testament to the program’s impact.

The Civil Rights and Immigration Law clinics demonstrate how legal education can drive systemic change. The clinics have achieved landmark victories, including a 2024 final judgment following six years of litigation that protects unaccompanied immigrant children — one of the most vulnerable populations in the legal system — from harmful treatment.

A commitment to social justice

These clinics show how our students are doing more than studying legal theory. They are practicing in the field, from the courtroom to community workshops and from the fields where food is grown to the forums where policy is decided.

They are filling critical gaps in the justice system. By combining rigorous training with real-world advocacy, the programs prepare future lawyers to confront injustice while delivering immediate, tangible benefits to those in need.

They are living the values of King Hall, named in 1969 for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who reminded us that “the time is always right to do what is right.” Our commitment to that work is reflected in the 2026 rankings from National Jurist’s preLaw News, which names our School of Law No. 6 among the top law schools for social justice.

This recognition is a measure of our enduring commitment to the idea that justice depends on sustained action. Through their work, our students and faculty are helping to ensure that access to justice is both an ideal and a reality for every member of our community and the fabric of our region.