Skills gained may include:  

• conducting client-centered interviews and meetings with young clients and families, both in the office and in the community   

•  supporting clients in juvenile court proceedings, including in AB 12 and juvenile record sealing matters   

• representing students in a variety of education related matters, including at school discipline and readmission hearings, and appeals.   

• working holistically alongside of EBCLC social workers and other stakeholders to support young clients in reaching their goals  

• engaging in legal research and writing, both for purposes of direct representation advocacy and the advancement of policy initiatives 

Example Projects/Cases:  

Example 1: Two EDJY students represented a young, Black student with a disability in an expulsion matter, conducting client and witness interviews, drafting opening and closing statements, and witness examination questions, ultimately advocating successfully to keep the student in their school and ensuring that they had the necessary special education supports in place to be successful academically.   

Example 2: EDJY staff, the public defender’s office, and a community partner identified a need for a legislative change to school expulsion and due process law. An EDJY student wrote a research memo that explained the problem, identified the statutes that would need amendment, and suggested options for legislative language. This memo led to a bill that our community partner presented to the Legislature.