What drew a casual cook and world traveler to justice work?

Meet our new Fellows – Kelsey and Renée

And find out why they are passionate about bringing legal help to domestic violence survivors and veterans.

Hello all you members of the OneJustice network!  We’re thrilled to introduce you all to two brand-new members of the OneJustice family: Kelsey Williams and Renée Schomp.  We know that you all will enjoy working with them as much as we already do!

Kelsey Williams is a recent graduate of Loyola Law School and is joining our Los Angeles team as a Loyola Law School Post-Graduate Public Interest Law Fellow.  Kelsey is launching a brand-new project in Los Angeles to support a network of legal services nonprofits and law firms that are working together to bring free legal clinics on housing, immigration, and public benefits to survivors of domestic violence.  You’ll definitely be hearing more about Kelsey’s project as she gets up and running!

Renée Schomp is a recent graduate of University of Michigan Law School and will be based on the San Francisco office to run Justice Bus trips in Northern California.  Renée is an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow and part of Equal Justice Work’s national Veterans Legal Corps.  All you NorCal Justice Bus riders will enjoy working with Renée as she continues the existing schedule of trips while also building new trips to reach low-income veterans living in rural and isolated communities.

We sat down with Kelsey and Renée on their second day on the job, and subjected them to the interview questions below so that you all can get to know them just a little better.  Want more details about their projects and work?  What questions do you have for them – just let us know, and we’ll get them blogging soon!

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Kelsey Williams is launching a new project to connect domestic violence survivors with legal assistance and pro bono attorneys

Kelsey Williams is cooking up a new project in LA to connect domestic violence survivors with legal assistance and pro bono attorneys

Kelsey, what drew you to the work of OneJustice?

Growing up in Red Bluff, CA (a small town famous for its annual rodeo and bull sale), I was drawn to OneJustice’s commitment to providing legal services to rural parts of California and to underserved communities more generally. Now, as a seven-year resident of Los Angeles (I’m told that means I can call myself a native now!), I am excited to reach out to underserved communities in LA and help improve the community I’m so happy to call home.

  • What will you be responsible for at OneJustice – and what do you hope to achieve?
I’m heading up a new project that will connect survivors of domestic violence in Los Angeles with free legal assistance. By working with pro bono attorneys from L.A. law firms, we are seeking to increase access to justice for these survivors and helping them move forward.
  • What did you do before coming to OneJustice that led to this Fellowship and new project? 
As an undergrad at UCLA, I got involved in social justice work through my minor in LGBT Studies. This experience motivated me to go to law school where I worked with several public interest organizations and found my passion — advocating for those whose voice is not yet being heard.
  • And tell us something about you that’s not justice related!
I love to cook and throw good old fashioned dinner parties, but my skills are certainly a work in progress — I’ve been known to coat my kitchen ceiling in soup when I get too ambitious!
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Renee Schomp will be running Justice Bus trips in NorCal, including reaching rural veterans

Renee Schomp’s love of travel will be put to good use in running Justice Bus trips in NorCal, including reaching rural veterans

Renée, what drew you to the work of OneJustice?  

As the daughter of a disabled Vietnam veteran, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with OneJustice to provide legal services to veterans and other underserved populations throughout rural Northern California.  I was particularly drawn to OneJustice’s entrepreneurial and strategic approach to strengthening the legal services community through innovative programs such as the Justice Bus Project.  The Justice Bus Project connects pro bono partners with rural nonprofit legal services providers in order to increase resources available to low-income communities throughout far-reaching parts of California.  It’s just one example of the unique and exciting work that OneJustice does!

  • What will you be responsible for at OneJustice – and what do you hope to achieve?

I will be further developing the Justice Bus Project in Northern California with an emphasis on serving the all-too-often forgotten veterans who live here and who lack much-needed legal services assistance.  I’ll continue to build OneJustice’s partnerships with a wide range of pro bono, law school, and nonprofit stakeholders in order to facilitate the Justice Bus Project’s work removing barriers to justice for rural low-income communities.  I also plan to further expand the number of 1 and 2-day legal clinics the Justice Bus Project facilitates throughout rural Northern California through the hard work and dedication of our partners.  In so doing, we hope to reach the many veterans, both young and old, who are in need of legal support in our state.

  • What did you do before coming to OneJustice that led up to this Fellowship?

Before law school, I worked at the law firm of Skadden Arps and then at Human Rights First, both in New York. As a law student, I externed at the Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center in San Francisco and at the ACLU of Michigan, and I spent my summers at the East Bay Community Law Center in Berkeley and at Instituto para las Mujeres en la Migración in Mexico City.

  • And what should we know about you that is not focused on justice?

I live for my next traveling adventure: I’ve traveled everywhere from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for work to Petra, Jordan, just for fun, and many places in between—but I still have a LOT of places to check off my list!

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