ADVOCATING FOR TENANTS’ RIGHTS AND SERVING CLIENTS SEEKING RELIEF FROM HOMELESSNESS |
|
This spring, the GW Law Clinics have continued to provide wide-ranging legal services throughout the District of Columbia, while breaking down barriers for our clients and serving our neighbors who struggle with homelessness and poverty. April is designated as Fair Housing Month to commemorate the anniversary of the 1968 enactment of the Fair Housing Act and to reflect on the persistent barriers to fair housing. This season also provides an opportunity to honor attorneys using the law to make housing justice a reality for all. Together, several of our clinics are working to improve our clients’ access to housing, shelter, and other related services. All client names and the names of their family members have been changed to respect their confidentiality. |
|
Public Justice Advocacy Clinic Helps Client Toward Long-Term Supportive Housing |
|
The Public Justice Advocacy Clinic (PJAC), directed by Professor Jeffrey Gutman and co-taught by Professor Holly Eaton, engaged in various advocacy efforts this spring. Two student attorneys in PJAC, Michael DeJesus, Class of ’22, and Raychelle Eddings, Class of ’23, recently obtained a successful outcome for a client appealing her scheduled exit from D.C.’s Family Re-housing Stabilization Program (FRSP; also known as the Rapid Re-housing Program). FRSP is a research-based program designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. The student-attorneys represented the client, and during her participation in the FRSP program, she failed to receive consistent services from the FRSP services provider. Prior to an administrative review of her appeal, the student-attorneys engaged in discussions with the client’s service provider and the Notice of Cessation of Benefits was rescinded. The client was placed on an exit pathway for potential long-term supportive housing benefits. |
|
Rising For Justice Students Serve Clients Facing Eviction
|
|
The Rising for Justice Clinic (RFJ), led by Paul DiBlasi with the oversight of David Johnson, Assistant Dean for Pro Bono and Advocacy Programs, has worked on several housing matters to help clients at risk of losing subsidized housing and working to avoid eviction. The threat of homelessness in connection with the end of Washington, D.C.’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium continues to be a concern for clinic clients across our various clinical programs. RFJ has taken on several of these matters to protect tenants’ rights and achieve justice for our clients. Congratulations to Zhuoma “Drolma” Gesang, Class of ’22, Gabrielle Hangos, Class of ’23, and Emilia McManus, Class of ’23, for their successful client advocacy. |
|
CLINICS PRODUCE AND RECEIVE INSIGHTFUL TRAINING |
|
 |
Immigration Clinic Trains Non-Citizen Audience in Spanish on U-Visas |
The Immigration Clinic, led by Professor Alberto Benitez with the support of Professor Paulina Vera, arranged an opportunity to discuss important immigration topics with local community members. Student-attorney José Hernández, Class of ’22, prepared the presentation, which was held on March 2022, and presented in Spanish to a mostly Spanish-speaking and non-citizen audience. The presentation focused on U-visas. U-visas can help non-citizens acquire lawful status in the U.S. in the unfortunate event that they were a victim of a crime here. The U-visa grants four years of lawful status in the U.S., within those four years the individual would become eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence, and subsequently, for U.S. citizenship. |
|
|
|
The Criminal Defense and Justice Clinic Discusses Ways to Better Serve Clients Navigating the Criminal Justice System in D.C. |
Pictured here: Spencer Satin (Class of '22), Professor Lula Hagos, Rebecca Hughes (Class of '22), Kendall Lawrenz (Class of '22), Jordan Crunkleton (Class of '22), Mengli Sun (Class of '22), Nicholas Mastria (Class of '22), Jennifer Pantell (Class of '22), Fatima Khan (Class of '22), Cameron Costello (Class of '22), Cyrus Dutton (Class of '22), Jacob Morse (Class of '22), Professor Ilan Friedmann-Grunstein.
The Criminal Defense and Justice Clinic (CDJC), led by Professor Lula Hagos and with the support of Professor Ilan Friedmann-Grunstein, invited Kirk Ellis (aka “Scooby”), founder and CEO of 1Tribe Community Solutions, to conduct a training on the day-to-day experience in the D.C. Jail. 1Tribe Community Solutions is a social service advocacy agency that provides homeless outreach services, training, consultations, and intermediary services to foster community and build relationships between the unhoused and the housed in Washington, D.C. Mr. Ellis shared experiences navigating the criminal justice system in D.C. from the perspective of someone who was once in that system and now works tirelessly to help others. A special thanks to clinic social worker Bonnie McIntyre for her help in arranging this training. |
|
|
|
|
The Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic Continues Nationwide Advocacy and Represents First COVID-19 Client |
Pictured here: Yingwei Chen (Class of ’23), Brianna McGraw (Class of ’22), Jadyn Marks (Class of ’22), Professor Renee Gentry, Joy Li (Class of ’22), Juhyun “Julie” Kim (Class of ’22), Emilee Schipske (Class of ’22), Amanda Szmuc-Heba (Class of ’22), Peter Conway (Class of ’22) |
The Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic (VILC), directed by Professor Renee Gentry, trains student-attorneys to participate in appeals and negotiations for damages, fees, and settlements on behalf of clients who have adverse reactions to routinely administered vaccines. VILC, represented a young mother of two who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and developed a rare yet significant reaction that prevented her from working. Often, injured individuals are left to go up against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on their own and are forced to navigate significant procedural complexities without the support of an attorney. Congratulations to the student attorney, Julie Kim, Class of ’22, on this matter. Ms. Kim provided a support system for her client and was commended by the Special Master presiding over the case for her great work. |
|
|
|
Prisoner and Reentry Clinic Wins Compassionate Release, Reunites Family |
This year, student-attorneys in the Prisoner and Reentry Clinic, led by Professor Jessica Steinberg with the support of Friedman Fellow Professor Elenore Wade, won a grant of compassionate release for their client Forest. Forest had been incarcerated for 40 years and came home to his wife and daughter this spring. Forest shared his heartfelt thanks to his team of student-attorneys in a handwritten thank you letter. He wrote: “Each time I spoke with you, I was always brought to quiet tears, moved by the comfort your realness inspired. The belief y’all shared ‘in me’ captured moments that cause me to choke away tears for it all was so new and different from the many who seem to see and treat me as if I’m a piece of trash.” Congratulations to Forest and his team of student-attorneys: Alexis Landrum; Aneta Golaszewski, Class of ’22; Victoria Colbert, Class of ’22; Laura Roman, Class of ’22, and Merrill Weber, Class of ’22.
|
|
|
|
As our clinical program continues growing its offerings, our faculty and the administrative team also evolved. We remain grateful for the administrative leadership and support of Dean Dayna Bowen Matthew, faculty, staff, our community partners, alums, and donors. Each has played a critical role in helping us grow quickly and sustainably. |
|
Professor Meier Installed in Newly Endowed Professorship
|
|
A $2.75 million gift from an anonymous donor recently endowed the new National Family Violence Law Center Professorship. In recognition of her groundbreaking work to support victims of domestic violence, the university installed Professor Joan Meier as the inaugural holder of the National Family Violence Law Center Professorship. Professor Meier’s formal professorship induction ceremony took place on March 24, 2022. |
|
|
Clinics Welcome Managing Attorney and Alumna Andrea Willis-Johnson |
The clinical program is thrilled to have clinic alumna Andrea Willis-Johnson, Esq. return to the clinics that helped train her during her time as a law student. In August 2021, Mrs. Willis-Johnson became the Managing Attorney of the clinics, which is an administrative leadership position supporting the work of each of our clinics. The clinics have already benefited tremendously from her strategic vision, innovation, and experience with corporate compliance and business law.
|
|
|
|
Lehrman Scholar and Student-Director Brittany Gault Passes the Baton |
Each year, the clinical program selects a third-year law student to receive the prestigious Jacob and Charlotte Lerhman Foundation Student Director Fellowship. This student-director, who is enrolled in one of our many clinical programs, works closely with the clinic’s leadership team to assist in managing the clinics. Thanks to the long-standing generosity of the Jacob and Charlotte Lerhman Foundation, the student-director receives a financial award. Our student-director for the 2021-22 academic year has been Brittany Gault, Class of ’22, who is a student-attorney in the Family Justice Litigation Clinic. |
|
|
|
GW LAW CONTINUES COMMITMENT TO CLINIC EXPANSION |
|
|
Two Credit Civil Access to Justice Clinic - Medical-Legal Partnership Division to Launch in Fall 2022 |
|
|
|
Two Credit Civil Access to Justice Clinic - Employment Division to Launch in Fall 2022 |
|
|
|
In recent months, GW Law has continued to rapidly expand its clinical program. In spring 2022, our first two-credit clinical offering was created, recognizing that not all students are able to devote the credits necessary to enroll in a capstone clinic. This smaller clinical offering is intended to help provide the professional development, lawyering training, and identity formation opportunities afforded by capstone clinics to as many GW Law students as possible. The first division of the Civil Access to Justice Clinic (Family Division) was so successful that two additional divisions will be launched in fall 2022: the Medical-Legal Partnership Division and the Employment Division.
As the clinical program moves into its sixth decade of excellence in clinical legal education, we remain dedicated to expanding our clinical offerings. Our previous announcements about our new Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic and Criminal Defense and Justice Clinic can be found in our November 2021 and February 2022 newsletters. |
|
A CELEBRATION OF 50 YEARS OF SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION - ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT |
|
Since 1971, GW Law has recognized the critical role of clinics in helping law students develop vital skills and values, while also providing direct legal services to clients who may not otherwise have access to justice or economic opportunity. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the GW Law Clinics, on Friday, April 29th we kicked off a multi-session Social Impact Showcase (recording here). Please register here for our next Social Impact Showcase session on Thursday, May 12th from 5-6pm on campus which will be led by Clinic Alumna and Professorial Lecturer in Law Paulina Vera with the theme " Immigration Lawyers Saving Lives and Reuniting Families." Following this session from 6-7pm, we are honoring the newest members of our Clinic Alum community during our Clinic Graduate Reception. We hope to see as many of our faculty, staff, alums and community partners there as possible. Additionally, alums around the globe are taking time to reflect on their experiences in the clinics. We are thrilled to honor our stellar alumni community, which is among our proudest achievements. |
|
CLINICAL SCHOLARS, FACULTY INFLUENCE, AND NEWS |
|
Professor Arturo J. Carrillo
Director, Civil and Human Rights Clinic
Professor Arturo Carrillo supervised Laura Holt (JD ’21) and Rebecca Nica (JD ’21) of the Civil and Human Rights Law Clinic in publishing “Decriminalizing Defamation: A Comparative Law Study,” available here. The article, published in the GW International Law and Policy Brief in March 2022, analyzes the importance of relying on civil remedies to address legitimate instances of defamatory speech in order to protect citizens’ honor and reputation while safeguarding freedom of expression. This article was prepared as part of the Clinic’s research and advocacy from 2020 to 2022.. |
|
Professor Susan R. Jones
Director, Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic
Professor Susan Jones‘ co-edited book, "Investing for Social Impact, Economic Justice & Racial Equity" (with Dorcas Gilmore and Lisa Hall) will be published by the American Bar Association in the fall. This book examines ways to improve underserved communities and explores the history, best practices, and current opportunities at the intersection of community economic development and impact investing. |
|
Professor Joan Meier
Director, Domestic Violence Project
National Family Violence Law Center Professor of Clinical Law
Professor Joan Meier's article "Breaking Down the SIlos that Harm Children: A Call to Child Welfare, Domestic Violence and Family Court Professionals" (with Vivek Sankaran) was published in the Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law and is available here. Her article "Denial of Family Violence: An Empirical Analysis and Path Forward for Family Law" was published in the Georgetown Law Journal (2022). Professor Meier's piece " The Trouble with Harman and Lorandos’s Attempted Refutation of the Meier et al. Family Court Study" (with Sean Dickson, Chris S. O'Sullivan, Leora N. Rosen) was also accepted for publication in the Journal of Family Trauma, Child Custody and Child Development (2022). She has given several presentations this Spring including the Overview of the Hague Convention and ICARA and Interplate with Custody Law (with two co-presenters) for the Practicing Law Institute (February 2022), two discussions on Empirical and Policy Issues with Abuse Allegations in Custody for the Public Interest Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin (March 2022) and the D.C. Child Advocacy Center (March 2022), and a keynote address for the Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic 30th Anniversary "Pearls of Wisdom" conference at the University of Buffalo (April 2022). Professor Meier's essay, " The Supreme Court Can Correct a Life or Death Injustice for Terence Andrus" was published in the National Jurist. She was also recently quoted in the Texas Observer about the placement of children with the spouses who attacked or killed their partners. |
|
Professor Jessica Steinberg
Director, Prisoner and Reentry Clinic
Professor Jessica Steinberg has several scholarly articles forthcoming, including “The Institutional Mismatch of State Civil Courts” in the Columbia Law Review (with Colleen Shanahan, Alyx Mark, and Anna Carpenter), “Racial Capitalism in Civil Courts” in the Columbia Law Review (with Tonya Brito, Kathryn Sabbeth, and Lauren Sudeall), and “The Democratic (Il)legitimacy of Assembly-Line Litigation” in the Harvard Law Review Forum. She also published “Judges in Lawyerless Courts” in the Georgetown Law Law Journal and presented the paper "The Gender of Gideon" (forthcoming in the UCLA Law Review) at Seattle University and Catholic University faculty workshops. |
|
For real-time updates on the GW Law Clinics, follow us on our LinkedIn company page, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. If you are a clinic alumni or current student attorney interested in joining our new LinkedIn group for current clinic students and clinic alumni please provide the name of the clinic you have been affiliated with and the year of your involvement along with your requests to join. You may request to join here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
