On the first day of my 1L Introduction to Lawyering class at Albany Law School, I was asked what kind of lawyer I wanted to be. My answer was: “I don’t know, I just want to help people.” Now, two years later, thanks to the Empire Justice Center, I feel that I am. I am fortunate enough to have interned here at Empire Justice this past summer and this fall, primarily with the Crime Victims Legal Network (CVLN), which provides resources, help, and information to victims of crime and their advocates. Over the summer I helped draft content legal content for the CVLN’s website, NY Crime Victims Legal Help, regarding victims of crime in the LGBTQ+ community, which was ultimately used to create content for the website. This fall the majority of the research that I have been doing has been focused on caselaw involving Domestic Violence. I spent the first part of the semester researching federal cases involving domestic violence – anything from the Innocent Spouse Waiver to International Custody cases. I also spent time researching and summarizing recent domestic violence cases and child custody cases involving domestic violence that were impacted by Covid-19. And finally, I researched the use of expert witnesses in domestic violence cases.
Before I began interning with CVLN, I thought that I knew a lot about Domestic Violence, simply from watching the news and seeing how it is portrayed in TV shows and movies. However, I now realize that what I knew then was just the tip of the iceberg. Interning with CVLN, I have been immersed in real-life cases, as well as having the privilege to attend forums and seminars hosted by CVLN, and I have learned that Domestic Violence is much more common than I previously believed, and also has a multitude of repercussions that reverberate throughout a victim’s life. I have read about and heard speakers discuss how Domestic Violence can impact a victim’s custody agreements, immigration status, financial security, ability to maintain a job, tax consequences, housing security, and so many more aspects of their life. I am so grateful to CVLN for everything that I have learned and continue to learn, and for the opportunity to do such meaningful research, where I feel that my work will actually help people.
In addition to the great work, the team at CVLN is amazing. They have helped me with so many things, from giving me advice on legal careers to helping me prepare for post-graduate job interviews. The lawyers at CVLN have spent countless hours meeting with me to help improve my legal writing skills, answering questions that I have about Domestic Violence and the legal system, and encouraging me. They are truly all mentors to me, and the frequent advice they have given me, the ways they have taught me and helped me grow, and their constant support has been invaluable to me. I will forever be grateful to everyone at CVLN and the Empire Justice Center, as this internship and the support, education, and guidance I have received from everyone at Empire Justice has been incredible