Social work roles in law reform litigation

Although the current composition of the Supreme Court and appointments to lower federal courts by President Reagan foreclose most opportunities for progressive social policy reform through federal litigation, state courts may provide avenues for law reform litigation. Such litigation, including single suits as well as more complex "litigation campaigns," should remain a tool in the arsenal of policy reformers, including social workers. This article focuses on litigation campaigns, summarizing potential roles of social workers in conceptualizing, planning, and pursuing such campaigns and in monitoring and protecting reforms achieved through such campaigns. References are made throughout to examples of social work roles in the welfare rights campaign of the late 1960s.