Based at Stanford University’s law school, the ‘religious liberty law clinic’ will be open to clients of all faiths, according to a report in the National Law Journal. Founded with a $1.6 million grant from the Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the clinic will involve 10 students providing advice and officially open in the middle of next month.

Circumcision conundrum

Clinic director James Sonne told the Journal: ‘The point of a clinic is to teach professional skills to law students using real cases and live clients. We think the religious liberty aspect offers a unique way to do this work, and it's something the students get excited about. As our culture becomes more diverse, it's a great way for students to represent clients whose beliefs are different from their own.’
The web site gives several examples of the type of cases the students will advise on, including that of a prisoner who converted to Judaism as an adult, but who cannot obtain a circumcision while behind bars.