Each summer, EBCLC hosts 50 student interns from schools all over the country. We are showcasing the amazing work a few of them have accomplished during their short time at EBCLC!
This summer, Ellen trained with EBCLC’s Education Defense and Justice for Youth Clinic. “EBCLC exemplifies the kind of work I hope Berkeley is preparing me to do in the future,” says Ellen, a second-year law student.
Ellen spent most of her time representing a young girl in juvenile delinquency court. She drafted a motion that granted her client informal probation. As a result, her client will be released from the juvenile justice system in six months.
“It is still unfortunate that she has to be involved in the juvenile justice system but it is only 6 months so if she completes that she won’t have to deal with other things. This incident does not have to define her future,” says Ellen.
Ellen learned a lot through her work with youth. “The best we can do for our clients is to listen to them. A lot of times, especially with young people, we tend to speak on their behalf. We need to take the time to get in touch with them, ask them questions, listen to their answers, and respect their opinions,” she says. “This will be very valuable to me looking forward.”
We are happy to report that Ellen will come back to EBCLC this fall and train with the Health and Welfare Clinic. She looks forward to branching out and learning about how to advocate for different communities with EBCLC!