Month: October 2018

Civil Rights Corps – Washington, D.C.

I spent the summer of 2018 working with Civil Rights Corps in Washington, DC and had a great experience. CRC is a non-profit that engages in nationwide impact litigation, by identifying local jurisdictions with constitutionally violative criminal systems and filing federal civil suits to require changes in those systems under the civil rights laws and amendments. For example, counties that employ a money bail system, where criminal defendants are allowed pretrial release for on a monetary amount regardless of their ability to pay, violate the equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. This is because between two criminal defendants, with identical charges and criminal histories, one may be released from custody pre-trial because they possess a certain amount of money, and the other will continue to be detained because they lack that wealth. CRC also challenges use of private probation companies, prosecutorial misconduct, debt-based driver’s license suspension, among other issues. The staff is an energetic and passionate group of skilled attorneys, investigators, and support professionals. CRC welcomed six total law school interns for the summer.

On the first day, I jumped into legal research, geared towards proposing viable strategies for maintaining federal court jurisdiction of future civil rights lawsuits. My research involved the legal issues of federal court abstention doctrine, the irreparable harm exception, and organizational standing. Again looking towards future cases and policy work, I analyzed and comprehensively catalogued state and federal case law on the status of visitation rights in jails and prisons nationwide in order to target promising jurisdictions. For CRC’s ongoing bail reform lawsuit in Harris County, TX, I monitored video and document discovery to ensure compliance with a federal preliminary injunction order.

The intern supervisors made it clear that maximizing the learning experience for interns was a priority. CRC organized an engaging series of visitors to share their work and perspective with the interns and the office, from judges to journalists, and professors to poets. We had opportunities to visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture and to observe DC Superior and Appeals Court proceedings. The attorneys were happy to grab coffee and share their stories and advice with interns, and our supervisors proactively sought feedback from the various attorneys each of us worked with to share with us.

Overall, I would recommend CRC to any future Duke Law students. Spending significant time on research and writing solidified my inclination towards switching gears and pursuing public defense for my 2L summer job to gain more experience with clients and direct representation. I found that I had the most energy and motivation on assignments with tight deadlines and would thrive in a more consistently fast-paced environment. But I see impact litigation and policy work as being a likely part of my future career though not immediately upon graduation. I would be happy to return to CRC as a staff attorney down the road.

Submitted August 23, 3018

ACLU of North Carolina – Raleigh, North Carolina

This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. The ACLU of NC is a state affiliate of the national non-profit organization, and focuses on legal, legislative, and community advocacy at the local level. Their office is based in Raleigh, and their work ranges from protecting individual students’ speech in schools to promoting broader criminal justice reform.

Before I came to Duke, my academic research focused on the sociopolitical power of storytelling, and my professional experience included work in grassroots organizing. Learning that civil rights litigation could potentially combine my interests in powerful stories and social justice was a turning point in my personal development, and I came to Duke with plans to devote my future to pursuing similar work. Accordingly, I am particularly grateful that I had the chance to work with the ACLU, as their model of impact litigation was one of my main aspirations for choosing law as a career. Working in Raleigh this summer clarified my professional goals and solidified my commitment to a career in community-driven impact litigation after law school.

Interning at the ACLU was the perfect opportunity to witness both the strategic planning that fuels successful impact litigation and the open communication that is so integral to supporting the individuals behind the case names. My internship allowed me to engage in local efforts around issues like gender-based violence, LGBT discrimination, voters rights, and bail reform. I researched and wrote legal memoranda on statutory and constitutional law, including religious rights of prisoners, equal protection for LGBT communities, and due process rights of indigent defendants. For example, I drafted a demand letter to North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety on behalf of a transgender prisoner who was being denied medical treatment. I also edited legal filings for a class action suit on behalf of indigent drivers who had their licenses automatically revoked for their inability to pay traffic fines. Through it all, I had the chance to observe some truly incredible attorneys, and to learn from their thoughtful and intentional approach to client advocacy. Talking with current and potential plaintiffs was also a critical reminder that true advocacy must be based on authentic relationships and active listening, and I was grateful for the chance to engage with communities here in North Carolina.

Seeing the extensive thought and preparation that goes into every case was an amazing opportunity, and I came away with a better understanding of the unique challenges to legal advocacy in North Carolina. I learned about some of the constraints of social change through the court system, but was also invigorated by the passion I encountered from the entire team at the ACLU of NC. Their legal, policy, organizing, and communications departments all acted as an exemplary reminder of what holistic and community-centric advocacy can look like, and I finished my internship inspired and enthusiastic about continuing to pursue a career in civil rights impact litigation.

Submitted October 14, 2018