Maria Rodriguez
Host: Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
Sponsor: Fish & Richardson P.C., Microsoft Corporation
Emily developed a juvenile division in Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas’s Abilene office that provided education and advocacy for youth struggling with homelessness and opportunity barriers created by their prior involvement with the justice system.
There are more than 100,000 runaway and homeless youth in Texas each year, hundreds from Abilene. Abilene is a relatively small town of 117,000, but its youth population struggles with many of the same issues as youth in much larger metropolitan areas: homelessness, unstable home life, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Even minor offenses can impede securing future meaningful employment, higher education, and freedom from the transgressions of youth. Most of these youth are unaware of the possibility of sealing or expunging their juvenile records. Northwest Texas, however, has lacked free legal services specifically dedicated to serving its youth, and helping them get on the right track as they approach adulthood.
During her Fellowship, Emily has:
Now that the Fellowship is complete, Emily will continue her juvenile-focused work with the Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and train additional attorneys to handle juvenile specific matters.
Host: Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
Sponsor: Fish & Richardson P.C., Microsoft Corporation
Host: East Bay Children’s Law Offices
Sponsor: The Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Host: Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
Sponsor: Microsoft Corporation, The Sidley Austin Foundation
Host: Community Legal Services of Philadelphia
Sponsor: Greenberg Traurig, LLP