Clinic Newsletter Fall 2013

FALL 2013

SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL

CLINIC

NEWSLETTER

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS, IMMIGRATION LAW AND STREET LAW

CLINICS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 2 Children’s Rights Clinic 3 Immigration Law Clinic 4 Street Law Clinic and Public Service Program

CLINICS CELEBRATE 5TH ANNIVERSARY ver 70 clinical students and alumni gathered to celebrate the Legal Clinic’s 5th Year Anniversary at the Border Grill in Downtown Los Angeles this past March. The celebration allowed students to reunite with their case partners and their professors, to catch up on their current accomplishments, and to share their favorite memories of the clinic programs. It was also a wonderful opportunity for current students to network with our alumni. Students who participated in each of the clinics fondly remembered their experiences with their clients, classmates and professors. In the past five years, each of the clinics has taught over 200 Southwestern students practical teaching and lawyering skills that have helped them become successful and skillful attorneys.

In looking back at his clinic experience, Johnny Rundell ’12 expressed that “It was very satisfying to advocate for a real client’s interests and see first-hand how thankful and relieved they were at the end of the process.”

Students also developed a close working relationship with their clinic professors and fellow students. “The success of Southwestern’s Legal Clinics can be directly attributed to the hard work and dedication of our students while working in the clinics, and also upon graduation through their ongoing commitment to public service no matter what area of law they practice,” said Professor Fee. “ We are excited to continue this legacy of service and education for many more years to come.”

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Cynthia Luna ‘10, Professor Laura Cohen, Katherine Topor ‘10 and Amie Park ‘10 at the Clinic’s 5th Year Anniversary.

The inaugural Children’s Rights Clinic group, from left to right: Professor Jenny R. Fee ‘08, Professor Julie Waterstone, Bahar Geslin ‘08 and Chelsea Glauber ‘08.

Street Law Clinic alumnae Stacy Marquez ‘08, Yara Anguiano ‘08, and Claudia Urrego ‘07.

Clinic Professors Jenny R. Fee ‘08, Andrea Ramos, Laura Cohen, Julia Vazquez and Julie Waterstone.

Immigration Law Clinic alumnae Bahareh Saghian ‘12 and Liza Davis ‘12.

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Southwestern’s Children’s Rights Clinic (CRC) provides representation to low-income children in the areas of school discipline, special education and other education related issues. The clinic is staffed by law students who represent clients under the supervision of Professors Julie Waterstone and Jenny R. Fee. Students have the opportunity in a real-life context to hone their lawyering skills such as interviewing, negotiating, counseling, pre-trial litigation and oral advocacy.

CLINIC PROFESSORS CONTRIBUTE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM rofessor Julie Waterstone submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil and Human Rights for their first ever hearing on “Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline” in December 2012. Based on her experience representing youth in expulsion cases, she was able to describe first-hand how youth are funneled from the school system into the delinquency system, typically as a result of a minor incident – not a “criminal” incident. She called on Congress to engage in systemic reform and said that the federal government needs to mandate a decrease in police presence on school campuses because research does not show that school campuses have become safer as a result of increased police presence.

“If anything, research has shown that police presence has disenfranchised youth and made youth less interested in being on their school campus,” Professor Waterstone noted. “School administrators should use their authority to discipline children in an appropriate and meaningful way. If a child engages in vandalism, require that child to do community service or work to pay for broken or damaged goods. If a child is involved in a fight, there may be a punitive component, but the school should be required to try counseling for the child or anger management classes. Teach the child positive life skills. The culture of schools should return to a nurturing environment designed to help children grow and become productive adults – not further our incarcerated population.”

In March 2013, Professor Julie Waterstone and Professor Jenny Fee presented at the Council of Parent Advocates and Attorneys (COPAA) Conference on the Manifestation Determination Review Process for Children with Special Needs. When a school proposes the disciplinary removal of a student with special needs for more than 10 days, the school must first hold a Manifestation Determination Review meeting.

This review process is designed to provide a safeguard to children with special needs to ensure that the school does not excessively punish those children who are acting out as a direct result of their disability.

If this causal connection can be established, a school cannot issue a removal and must instead provide appropriate behavioral support and services. Through their presentation, Professor Waterstone and Professor Fee explored the inherent problems with the review process as it currently exists and proposed solutions that would provide meaningful protections for children with special needs who have behavioral issues.

Professor Fee later contributed a similar presentation to the COPAA Webinar Summer Series in June 2013.

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CRC YEAR AT A GLANCE he 2012-2013 academic year was tremendously successful, both in terms of client advocacy and clinic student experience. Students in CRC represented more clients and had the largest caseloads of any previous clinic group. By the end of each semester, most students carried a caseload of approximately 7 to 9 cases. Their advocacy on these cases was tremendous, and each obtained in-depth practice in critical lawyering skills, such as 2012-13 CRC students with Professors Waterstone and Fee. interviewing and counseling clients, file maintenance, negotiations, case presentation, legal research, complaint writing, trial preparation, mediation, settlement and trial work. Students advocated in the areas of special education law, school discipline law, regional center assistance and even expanded into new areas, including Social Security appeals, Section 1983 claims and complaints through the Office of Civil Rights.

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In individual cases, CRC students n advocated for a school-wide emergency response plan for a client with severe allergies and were able to convince the school board that all schools within the district needed to train staff and school personnel on the administration of EPI pens. n represented several children at expulsion hearings – where schools were looking to remove these children from school for one year for non-violent, catch-all offenses, like “disruption of school activities.” n negotiated complex, challenging settlement negotiations through informal dispute resolution meetings and mediations and obtained hundreds of compensatory education hours for clients, specialized academic placements, and attorneys’ fees. n advocated at school meetings independently, conducted over 75 intake meetings with potential clients, and drafted numerous complaints.

In thanking the clinic students for the advocacy they provided for her daughter, one client said, “Having the advocacy provided by professionals made all the difference not only in my daughter’s life, but also in mine. As a parent, you want to do what is best for your child, but I was only able to do that with your help, being that my income did not allow me to pay for attorney fees or private tutors. I am happy to inform you that my daughter is now doing very well in school and is making great progress and not afraid to ask for help. This would not have been possible without you! For that I will be forever thankful.”

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Southwestern’s Immigration Law Clinic (ILC) provides free legal representation to low-income children and adults in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) (clients under the age of 21), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and U visa cases. The Clinic is staffed by law students who represent clients under the supervision of Professors Andrea Ramos and Julia Vázquez.

ILC YEAR AT A GLANCE ur clinical programs continue to grow every year. In 2012-13, the Immigration Law Clinic (ILC) enrolled 26 students and three Advanced Clinic students. As the number of students increase, the clinic has been able to help more clients and conduct more community outreach events.

Fall 2012 ILC students Autumn Lewis, Eteri Samonidze, Vanessa Manzi, Angela Davtyan, Ani Markarian, Christine Yi, Garoon Gharakhanian, Jared Olen, Jennifer Koo, Loe Chaelee, Patricia Brum, Isaac Dillon, Monica Min, Ursula Fall 2012 ILC students Aguiar and Stefan Ali provided 3,498 hours of free legal services to clients on U nonimmigrants status and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases, and conducted presentations on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Students represented survivors of domestic violence, robbery, rape and other crimes.

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“A green card can have many benefits. It opens doors and gives hope to those who really want to do something in life. My life personally has changed very much, thanks to a green card. It has allowed me to set goals because America is the land of opportunity.”

- Former SIJS client and foster youth who recently completed his first year of college

Spring 2013 ILC students Karen Aguilar, Erik Espinoza, Pete Greyshock, Ezequiel Gutierrez, Eliza Harutyunyan, Stephanie Hyland Zacarias, Nestor Lopez, Jesus Morales, Kimberly Oros, Thien Thu Pham, Mariam Tsaturyan, Liza Zakour, Patricia Brum and Spring 2013 ILC students Vanessa Sanchez provided 2,509 hours of free legal services.

Each semester, ILC students organize and conduct presentations at local schools or agencies. This past year, ILC focused their outreach work on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Spring 2013 ILC students partnered with Camino Nuevo ILC students Jesus Morales and Karen Aguilar assist youth on DACA applications.

High School to assist youth on DACA applications. “It is important for our students to work directly with the community and use their knowledge to help improve the lives of our local community members. It helps students understand the value of their legal skills,” said Professor Ramos, Director of the Immigration Law Clinic.

ILC and the Immigration Law Students Association co-sponsored an Evening with Distinguished Immigration Practitioners. Vanessa Sanchez ‘13 was instrumental in organizing the event. She also moderated the panel with former CRC and ILC student Katie Wu ‘13. The first panel focused on careers in immigration law. The panel brought together alumni Catherine Haight ’89, Jack C. Sung ’07, and Mitchell Wexler ’85, as well as immigration attorney Cynthia Lucas. The panelists shared their unique perspectives about their practice area and the various challenges of working Panelists Jack C. Sung ’07, Cynthia Lucas, Catherine Haight ’89, in the field of and Mitchell Wexler ’85. immigration law.

The second panel co-sponsored by the American Immigration Council focused on Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). Pilar Marrero, Senior Political Writer and columnist with La Opinion moderated the panel consisting of Nora Preciado (staff attorney, National Immigration Law Center), Daniel Sharp (Legal Director, CARECEN), Gary Gates (Williams Distinguished Scholar, Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law) and Betty Hung (Policy Director, Asian Pacific American Legal Center). Panelists discussed the early challenges of CIR and areas of concern including immigration relief for same-sex couples. Each panelist voiced their support for passage of humane immigration reform legislation. The Panelists Daniel Sharp (Legal Director, CARECEN), Nora Preciado attendees included (staff attorney, National Immigration Law Center), and Gary students, immigration Gates (Williams Distinguished Scholar, Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law). practitioners and community members.

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Southwestern’s Street Law Clinic (SLC) students teach critical legal life skills to high school students in our Los Angeles community under the supervision of Professor Laura Cohen. Law students step into the roles of teacher, mentor, and advocate to empower at-risk youth to make better choices, overcome adversity, and build stronger futures. The participatory lessons inform the teenagers about their rights and the laws that apply to them, and provide legal information and resources they need to successfully transition to independent living and adulthood.

SLC YEAR AT A GLANCE treet Law Clinic students created engaging lesson plans that helped their teenage students “understand their rights,” focusing resources and legal information on housing, education, employment and consumer issues. The law students also encouraged the youth in their Street Law classes to grow both emotionally and academically. Street Law programming was presented by: n Karen Silverman and Saira Zia to a group of young women at Aviva High School in Los Angeles. n Keira Cumberland and Samantha Forbes to students at HathawaySycamores in Altadena. n DeAndre Aubry and Ashley Hinrichsen to students at HathawaySycamores new program at Glendale High School South. n Rafael Orozco and Sylvia Gevorkyan, Max Einstein and Lauren Vondracek to students at Vista School at Vista Del Mar in West Los Angeles. n Dana Allan and Kathryn Podsiadlo to separate classes of men and women at the Phoenix Academy. n Janinda Gunawardene and Jake Craven to youth participating in Project Connect at Amanecer Community Counseling Services in Los Angeles. n Vanessa Sanchez and Zepur Simonian to a group of young women at Joan Macy School in La Verne. n Joseph Esquibias-Engel and Alexandra Vine to students of the Magnolia Park School in Burbank. n Esther Lin and Timothy Osman to students attending Monterey High. n Celina Giraudy, LLM to students at LA Leadership Academy.

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VOICES OF HIGH SCHOOL STREET LAW STUDENTS:

“ I learned to speak up for myself.”

“I learned so much, and now I want to be a lawyer.”

COMMENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS:

“Street Law equipped my students with realistic suggestions to empower them as citizens. I hope they will use the wisdom that the law student instructors have shared.”

“The law students were personable, informative and representative of what they professed. In discussion with the students, they really do appreciate the insight and knowledge they have come away with this semester.”

CHILDREN’S LAW CENTER YEAR-LONG PROGRAM he Children’s Law Center-Southwestern Year-Long Program was developed and is supervised by Professor Cohen as a unique opportunity for Southwestern students. Elizabeth Hall, David Jun and Zepur Simonian began their year commitment with full-time work over the summer, followed by part-time work during the school year, while earning externship credit for both the Fall and Spring semesters.

The Children’s Law Center of California (CLC) is a nonprofit, public interest law corporation that serves as appointed counsel for children in court in Los Angeles County. CLC attorneys represent children, who are at risk of abuse or neglect, in juvenile dependency proceedings and seek to advocate for critical services and support that these children so desperately need.

Practicing in dependency court requires the development of expertise in a variety of areas — negotiation and mediation skills, legal research and writing, and trial skills along with an array of non-legal areas related to child and family well-being CLC alumni Elizabeth Hall ‘13, David Jun ‘13 and Zepur Simonian ‘13. including child development, physical and mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence and special education.

The law students come away with an array of legal skills that prepare them for a career in the law. While working closely with their supervising attorneys, each student was able to appear in court, interview clients, draft motions and gain a deep understanding of the commitment and passion that is necessary to represent Los Angeles County’s foster youth in day-to-day dependency hearings that seek to ensure the child’s safety and future success. The year-long program offers an unparalleled level of experience which allows students to gain an expertise in child advocacy and better understand the courtroom process and procedures. It is a unique opportunity especially for law students who wish to specialize in the representation of children and families.

Hall shared, “It has been very beneficial to stay at one place for such a long time and build relationships and rapport with other attorneys and staff. I also learned how to communicate effectively with clients and address difficult topics. Mostly, I learned how to be resourceful in advocating and problem solving for our clients, and that not every case is the same.”

Jun learned “how to manage a caseload, communicate with my clients, and advocate for their needs. I was able to see cases from start to finish, learn about the law and its practical effects and also be on the record on my own cases. In addition, I gained skills including time management, interview techniques, analysis of the factual and legal issues, and negotiating with counsel.”

Simonian expressed, “Much of my work entailed research and writing because those were the skills I wanted to develop the most. We won on many occasions, and it was very gratifying to see our clients so happy.”

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SOUTHWESTERN CELEBRATES STUDENTS' PUBLIC SERVICE aking a break from studying, over 250 students joined Dean Parrish, faculty, staff and supervising attorneys from the community at a luncheon to honor and congratulate them for the impressive pro bono legal services they provided to the community during the year. The program included a keynote address by the Hon. Terry B. Friedman, a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge and former Executive Director of Bet Tzedek.

This year, Southwestern students collectively provided more than 10,000 hours of pro bono service through the law school’s Public Service Program. Fifty-seven graduating students received signed letters of recognition from the Dean and special stoles to wear at graduation for volunteering 75 hours or more of their time; their law school Professor Vazquez with transcripts will also carry a formal notation of “Public the George and Katrina Service Distinction.”

Woolverton Public After praising the students, Judge Service Award recipient Stefan Ali. Friedman observed that “Southwestern is in ‘Public Interest Central’ in Los Angeles,” with many of the leading public interest legal organizations within walking distance of the campus. Professor Laura Cohen, who Judge Friedman acknowledged as the best role model these students could have since she herself has dedicated her entire legal career to helping others, spearheads the Public Service Public Interest Service Award recipients Program at Southwestern.

Vanessa Sanchez, Thien-Thu Pham, Zepur

STATE BAR HONORS SMALL CLAIMS PROJECT HOSTED AT SOUTHWESTERN Students Play Integral Role in Award-Winning Small Claims Clinic

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Simonia, Samantha Forbes, Amy Huberman.

CRC YEAR AT A GLANCE Continued from page 2

Through Community Education and Outreach, CRC students – n reached out to the surrounding community through innovative and informative group presentations on special education and school discipline law to mental health organizations, child dependency attorneys, social workers, parent support groups, religious groups and school representatives. n developed a presentation on bullying for parents and teens regarding both victims and perpetrators of bullying. n traveled to the outlying areas of Los Angeles County, Lancaster, Palmdale and Little Rock, as well as Irvine and other parts of Orange County.

Through these information sessions, students were able encourage and promote advocacy, expand the knowledge and understanding of the participants in complicated areas of law, and promote the work that Southwestern students are doing for underrepresented child clients in the local low income community.

“The success that our students have realized, not only for our clients, but for themselves, is definitely thrilling,” said Professor Fee. “The skills and training our clinic students develop through hands-on practice make them more competitive for public interest, public service and private sector jobs, no matter the area of law. This is evident by the number of calls we receive from employers who are looking to hire our CRC students. We all look forward to more years of continued success!”

he State Bar of California awarded The Small Claims Clinic Court Project a Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award for its impact, “providing meaningful support to low and middle income citizens accessing the small claims courts.” The Project is a collaborative effort of Southwestern, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, the law firms of Greenburg Glusker and Selman Breitman, and the Center for Civic Mediation. The award was presented during the Annual State Bar Meeting in Monterey, CA, in October 2012.

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Representatives of the Small Claims Court Project, from left: Sheila Baker ‘97, Selman Breitman; Megan Rivetti, Greenberg Glusker; Jacklin Mizrahi, LACBA Center for Civic Mediation; Laurie Aronoff, LACBA; Rachel Wilkes Barchie, Greenberg Glusker; Professor Laura Cohen, Southwestern; Gus May, Bet Tzedek Legal Services).

PROFESSOR VAZQUEZ HONORED AS LLSA PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR rofessor Julia Vazquez of the Immigration Law Clinic was recently honored by the Latino/a Law Students Association (“LLSA”). During the LLSA annual graduation dinner, former Immigration Law Clinic Students and LLSA board members, Vanessa Sanchez and Vanessa Manzi, announced that Professor Vazquez was the LLSA Professor of the Year.

They recounted the support and guidance that Professor Vazquez provided both to students and to the student organization. Throughout the 2012-2013 academic year, Professor Vazquez worked with LLSA students on several community service events benefiting Los Angeles low-income immigrants, most notably the Los Angeles County Bar Immigration Project workshops and a self-help clinic for immigrant youth applicants. “I’m happy to support LLSA and Southwestern students in their efforts to serve the immigrant community,” Professor Vazquez said, “This award will continue to inspire me to incorporate mentorship as an integral part of my role at Southwestern.”

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ANNUAL SOCIAL JUSTICE RETREAT rofessors Laura Cohen, Director of the Street Law Clinic, and Professor Andrea Ramos, Director of the Immigration Law Clinic, along with students Vanessa Sanchez ‘13 and Katie Wu ‘13, and Nydia Duenez ’10, Assistant Director of Diversity Affairs, traveled to Seattle to attend this spring’s annual Trina Grillo Social Justice Retreat hosted by the University of Washington School of Law. The retreat provides a unique opportunity for public interest and social justice-oriented law students, faculty, and practitioners to exchange viewpoints, explore career opportunities, and formulate creative strategies for social justice. The program provides students with a network while in school and the foundation for a professional network to support a career in public interest law.

Professors Cohen and Ramos led the small group breakouts exploring a range of new project ideas. In addition to the benefits of brainstorming, the small group Clinic Professors Laura Cohen and Andrea Ramos with Vanessa activities were Sanchez ‘13, Nydia Duenez ’10 and Katie Wu ‘13 at the Trina Grillo encouraging for Social Justice Retreat in Seattle. students to plan early for post-graduate fellowship opportunities. Professor Cohen also moderated the panel “Show Me The Money” which presented innovative ways for attendees to seek funding to support their public interest projects. The two-day program supports the Society of American Law Teachers mission: “to make the legal profession more inclusive and reflective of the great diversity of this nation; enhance the quality of legal education by advancing social justice within the curriculum and promoting innovative teaching methodologies; and extend the power of law to underserved individuals and communities. “ “The retreat was truly empowering because it really opened my eyes to the abilities that we each have, said Wu. “I came away feeling more confident in myself and my legal skills, and gained knowledge regarding the various topics discussed.”

The retreat was established in memory of University of Santa Clara Law Professor Trina Grillo, who was a source of inspiration to many public interest law students, faculty and social justice lawyers. First held at Santa Clara in 1998, the Trina Grillo Retreat rotates among the consortium members’ schools and will be held at Southwestern on March 21-22, 2014. For information about the 2014 Retreat, contact Professor Cohen at lcohen@swlaw.edu.

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SAVE THE DATE! SALT Trina Grillo Social Justice Retreat March 21-22, 2014 Southwestern Law School

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT YVONNE GARCIA ’12 vonne Garcia ‘12, is a Legal Organizer with the Wage Justice Center, working exclusively for the CLEAN Car Wash Campaign. Her responsibilities include explaining legal options to car wash workers who have experienced wage theft and assisting those who file administrative claims, and representing car wash workers in impact litigation in an attempt to change the car wash industry as a whole. She also continues to volunteer at Southwestern through the Small Claims Court Project.

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“I believe that the clinics are the heart of Southwestern. The work that the professors and students do is a great contribution to the community and also makes Southwestern a more socially conscious school. I am very proud to be a Southwestern alumna.”

- Yvonne Garcia ‘12

“The work I did at the Immigration Law Clinic prepared me to become an attorney more than any other course at Southwestern,” Garcia said. “I learned the importance of being detailed oriented, how to interact with clients and, more importantly, I learned that being an attorney is a great responsibility and privilege.”

She added, “I believe that the clinics are the heart of Southwestern.

The work that the professors and students do is a great contribution to the community and also makes Southwestern a more socially conscious school. Thanks to the work of all of the clinic professors, I am very proud to be a Southwestern alumna.”

Yvonne Garcia spent her last semester of school as a student in the Immigration Law Clinic. She worked on U nonimmigrant Status and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases and conducted a Know-YourRights presentation at a local social service agency.

CONTACT US Legal Clinic • W408 (Westmoreland Building, 4th Floor) Southwestern Law School 3050 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Children’s Rights Clinic (213) 738-6621 childrensrights@swlaw.edu

Immigration Law Clinic (213) 738-5574 immigrationclinic@swlaw.edu

Street Law Clinic (213) 738-5737 streetlaw@swlaw.edu

www.swlaw.edu/academics/clinic