When I started law school, I knew I wanted to use the opportunity to explore ways to advance my passion for serving marginalized communities with my law degree. While I had experience in nonprofit immigration work, I was eager to branch out and explore new areas of law. My commitment to advocacy and social justice ultimately led me to the Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic in my final year of law school.
Before joining the clinic, I had no prior experience working with incarcerated individuals or engaging in mediation. It was exciting to learn about the mediation process and its objectives. Serving as a neutral co-mediator was a significant shift in perspective for me, as my previous legal work had always been on one side of a claim.
Professor Ederlina Co encouraged us to critically examine the systemic forces that shape the mediation process and the experiences of incarcerated individuals. Early in the semester, reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander provided crucial context for understanding the challenges that incarcerated litigants face when bringing their claims. Additionally, visiting Folsom State Prison solidified my understanding of the conditions in which these litigants live and the barriers they navigate.
The clinic offered a unique and rewarding experience that deepened my understanding of civil rights litigation and mediation. Beyond gaining substantive knowledge, I developed valuable legal skills, including working with incarcerated clients and maintaining neutrality and impartiality.
Working with the plaintiffs reaffirmed my commitment to serving marginalized communities in client-centered work. Every litigant I worked with expressed gratitude that we were there to hear their stories, and I felt honored that they trusted us enough to share them. Although we did not represent them, it was essential to me that we accurately conveyed their narratives and interests to the judges through our bench memos. Even as neutral co-mediators, I believe that meeting with the prisoners, either by phone or in person, before their mediations, helped to mitigate the inherent power imbalance in these cases and the broader system.
Furthermore, adopting a neutral stance throughout the mediation process and collaborating with judges allowed me to see the bigger picture and assess critical information effectively. Learning to remain neutral was a valuable lesson in my legal career, as my prior experiences had always positioned me as an advocate for one side. The judges we worked with provided invaluable insights into neutral mediation, helping me refine my ability to analyze cases objectively. Even if I only represent one side in my future career, I now have a greater capacity to assess a case’s strengths and weaknesses from an unbiased perspective.
Overall, my experience in the Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic has made me a better lawyer. Engaging with plaintiffs in this setting was an invaluable opportunity for any law student, and I am grateful for the skills and insights I gained. This experience has reinforced my dedication to using my legal education to support and advocate for marginalized communities.