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AMERICORPS LEGAL FELLOW, CLASS OF 2008
Name of Host Organization: Public Interest Clearinghouse
City, State: San Francisco, California
Issue area: Other Area
THE INSPIRATION
I grew up in a small town in East Texas. My grandparents were farmers, and some of my cousins still live in very rural areas. While in law school, I volunteered for the Mississippi Center for Justice, collecting data and personal stories on post-Katrina recovery. I walked door-to-door in extremely isolated areas and heard stories of people feeling ignored by their government. I was drawn to my current project by the opportunity to help folks that live in rural communities.
THE PROJECT
The mission of Rural Education and Access to the Law (REAL) Project is to expose urban law students to the great need for legal services in rural areas of California and to inspire them to choose public interest careers or to provide pro bono work once they become lawyers. Since the inaugural trip to Fresno, there have been six trips to rural communities. The REAL Project services three target groups: low-income and other underserved clients; law students in urban law schools; and legal assistance programs in rural communities. Learn more about my project on YouTube.
BIOGRAPHY
Hometown: | Texarkana, Texas |
Law school: | |
Making the connection: | I chose law school because it gave me one set of tools to help advocate for social justice. I'm still not sure if these are the best tools for me, but they can definitely get the job done. |
Surviving law school: | Choosing the traditional firm route is just choosing the path of least resistance. Resist! That may mean working at nonprofits over the summer, participating in student clinics or interning at a local public defender's office. You'll be happier and healthier for it. If you think the law firm way is the only way (as did many of my friends), make an informed decision. Don't just follow the crowd to the largest firm or you may regret it before you get your bar exam results. |
Recommended books: | The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami because Murakami is probably my favorite author and this was the first of his books that I read. Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic stories (particularly zombie books) appeal to me because I like the idea of fighting a common enemy and building a new world from the ashes. I also like it when the zombies win. |
Favorite website(s): | http://icanhascheezburger.com (and the facebook bar exam lolcats) helped me pass the California bar exam. "I no can enter quart of equityz wif unclean pawz." |
Music I love: | sigur ros, songs: ohia, s, no age, two gallants, amiina, mirah, lovers, will oldham, mt. eerie, the liars, silver jews, daniel johnston, cat power, iron and wine, explosions in the sky, godspeed you black emperor, boy least likely to, microphones, hayden, band of horses, rock plaza central |
Words to live by: | "So Brad McLaughlin mingled reckless talk Of heavenly stars with hugger-mugger farming, Till having failed at hugger-mugger farming, He burned his house down for the fire insurance And spent the proceeds on a telescope To satisfy a life-long curiosity About our place among the infinities." – From the Star-Splitter by Robert Frost. I love the image of a house burning to the ground, replaced by a person looking through a telescope on a clear night with no structure to block the stars. I admire the dedication it would take to give up something of monetary value for something others may not value. |