Tag Archives: Law School

Meet our summer law clerks! Part 1

Join us in welcoming Grant, Erika, Kyle, and Chris to the OneJustice team!

Each summer, we’re excited to have summer law clerks join the OneJustice team. These law clerks will be responsible for assisting with a variety of our Pro Bono Justice projects and will use their skills at mobile legal clinics. Please join us in welcoming the first two summer law clerks, Grant and Erika!

IMAGE: Summer Law Clerk Grant Lehner will be assisting with the Justice Bus Project.

Summer Law Clerk Grant Lehner will be assisting with the Justice Bus Project.

Welcome, Grant! Tell us, what drew you to the work of OneJustice and what will be you be working on?

I was initially drawn to OneJustice because of our desire to bring access to high-quality legal aid to everyone, not just those who can afford it. Justice doesn’t work if it’s only accessible to some. In order for a society to actually work, everyone has to be playing by the same rules, on the same field, and OneJustice’s desire to bring life-changing legal help to those individuals who wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise helps balance out the scales of justice. This is something I absolutely love.

I’ll be working on the Justice Bus Project, assisting in the organization and implementation of clinics in rural parts of California. These are places where people almost never get to access lawyers, and I am extremely excited to help bring a little assistance into their lives.

Sounds like great work ahead! What were you up to before coming to OneJustice?

I currently go to school at Georgetown University Law Center (GULC), and have worked for a few environmental nonprofits during my gap. At GULC, I’ve helped with the International Migrant’s Bill of Rights, a submission to the United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees. I have also helped folks with Special Immigrant Visas pass through the immigration process as part of the International Refugee Assistance Project.

Wow — both sound like very rewarding experiences! Finally, what’s something quirky about you?

In my spare time, I really enjoy sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags, and walking very long distances with a heavy backpack for no particular reason. I also love to slather rocks with white powder and fall off of them in dramatic fashion. Back in DC, I volunteer at Catalyst Climbing clinics, helping folks with various disabilities get up on the rock and kick some major boulder booty.

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IMAGE: Summer Law Clerk Erika Villaseñor will be helping with Rural Justice Collaborative and the Justice Bus Project.

Summer Law Clerk Erika Villaseñor will be helping with Rural Justice Collaborative and the Justice Bus Project.

Thank you, Grant! And welcome, Erika! Why did you choose OneJustice for your summer clerkship? What will you be responsible for at the organization?

I was immediately drawn by OneJustice’s mission to increase access to high-quality legal services for individuals living in rural parts of California. As someone who grew up in the Central Valley, I understand the needs and share experiences with some of the underserved populations OneJustice serves. I am passionate about reforming both our immigration and criminal justice systems, so I look forward to being part of an organization that serves as an innovation lab and is currently working to transform the civil legal aid system.

As a Summer Law Clerk, I will be supporting the Pro Bono Justice Program in Northern California. I will have the opportunity to provide various types of legal assistance to Californians living in rural parts of the state through OneJustice’s Rural Justice Collaborative and the Justice Bus Project. I will be using the skills I learned during my first year of law school and my experiences to help make legal aid services more accessible to underserved and unserved populations.

Great to have you on the team! Tell us, what did you do before coming to OneJustice?

I am currently a rising 2L at University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall). As a first year student, I was involved in the La Raza Workers’ and Tenants’ Rights Clinic at Centro Legal de La Raza in Oakland and the Immigrants’ Rights Student-Initiated Legal Services Projects. Prior to law school, I worked alongside community organizations, a state government representative, and grassroots organizations in Bakersfield.

And, final question: what is something quirky about you?

I love gummies! Sprouts Farmers Market has the best ones — 12 Flavor Gummi Bears.

Thank you so much for joining us this summer — we’re excited to have you aboard! 

Lieutenant Joseph Rocha Reporting for Pro Bono Duty

This Veterans Day, we would like to introduce you to Justice Bus Rider and Marine, Joseph Rocha. 

At OneJustice, we really love our volunteers, and every so often, we like to feature one of them on our blog. This month, we’re excited to feature Joseph Rocha!

As an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, Joseph Rocha is no stranger to public service. Since beginning law school at the University of San Francisco in 2013, Rocha has traveled more than 800 miles with the Justice Bus, participating in four clinics in some of the most far-flung regions of California! We really can’t thank our volunteers enough for traveling so far and bringing justice where it’s needed most!

Join us in welcoming Joseph on this Veterans Day!

Photo: Joseph Rocha, Lieutenant and Justice Bus Rider Alumni.

Joseph Rocha, Lieutenant and Justice Bus Rider Alumnus.

Thank you so much for joining us, Joseph! Tell us, what made you want to attend law school?

From a very early age, there have been moments of great challenge where I have felt alone, and was resolved to believe that justice would somehow play out in the end. This drove me to seek a career in public service, dedicated to the promise of justice.

We love your commitment to public service! Why did you volunteer with the Justice Bus Project?

I volunteered for the Justice Bus Project, because I wanted to find a way to spend Spring Break involved in community service. I was midway through my second semester of my first year of law school and craved practical experience and interactions with clients; with Justice Bus Project, I found both. My first Justice Bus experience built me back up after the impact of the first year of law school, reminding me of the tremendously powerful endgame of working for clients which fuels my aspirations to be a lawyer.

Photo: Joseph Rocha with his USF School of Law colleagues at last year's Expungement Justice Bus clinic in Kelseyville, CA.

Joseph Rocha with USF School of Law colleagues at last year’s Expungement Justice Bus clinic in Kelseyville, CA.

We’re honored to hear that the Justice Bus Project gave you such a great experience! During your time at the clinics, were there any client interactions that were particularly impactful?

The most impactful aspect of the Justice Bus clinic for me was meeting those in need where they live and work. The nature of driving through the regions and neighborhoods that they live and work in, including an overnight stay, provides you with the opportunity to truly reflect on and appreciate the lives of our clients. Next, was the trust with which the clients shared the most intimate and challenging aspects of their lives with you. It was this experience that reinforced in me the role in the justice system I aspire to as an attorney.

We couldn’t agree with you more, Joseph. Justice Bus Riders, like you, make all the difference for distant communities in need! Thank you for all your help! Tell us, how do you hope to use your degree after graduating?

My most immediate goal, as an officer in the Marine Corps contracted as an attorney, is to contribute to upholding the integrity of the Corps and dedicate myself to the sons and daughters of our Nation. I deeply believe in the ability and duty of attorneys to uphold and defend our core values as a nation both through legal counsel and trial representation.

We can’t wait to hear about your work once you become an attorney! Last question, who is your favorite social justice hero?

Ms. Malala Yousafzai: her selflessness, ability to forgive, relentlessness and positive attitude moves and inspires me profoundly.

Thank you so much for your serving our nation and for bringing justice where it’s needed most, Joseph! You’re truly inspiring!

This Veterans Day, serve those who have served by making a charitable contribution to the Veterans Legal Aid Fund. Thank you!

The Justice Bus Project takes teams of attorney and law student volunteers from urban areas to set up free legal clinics for low-income Californians living in rural and isolated communities.  These clinics provide life-changing legal assistance to low-income veterans, vulnerable seniors, children with disabilities, low-wage workers, immigrant youth, and families.

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