MY PRACTICUM
Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse
For my practicum, I was an intern with the legal program at the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA). JCADA is a non-profit organization that aims to support victims of power-based violence, educate the community about domestic violence and the possible responses, and prevent future generations from experiencing power-based violence. As an intern with JCADA's legal program, I assisted victims of power-based violence with protective orders, peace orders, and crime victims' rights. My responsibilities included: interviewing clients for representation in Protective Order and Crime Victims’ Rights cases, assist attorneys with case preparation, working with Legal Program Director, Staff Attorney and Victim Advocates to provide confidential trauma-informed consultations to victims of domestic abuse, researching relevant case law, tracking relevant legislation, participating in public policy advocacy on behalf of survivors, monitoring current legislative proposals and draft advocacy materials for supervising attorney, and maintaining accurate and up-to-date records and documentation.
WHAT I LEARNED
Working so closely with lawyers, I learned so much about the profession. In addition to picking up on legal jargon, I learned all the elements that go into putting together a case. The importance of how you talk to survivors was stressed as well. I learned a lot about time-management, case research, current legislation, and the courtroom. I did a lot of research about the District Courts and Circuit Courts in the DMV area, and learned the similarities and differences between them. Most importantly, I learned how stressful is can be to be a lawyer, but also how rewarding it can be as well.
AÂ PROJECTÂ I WORKED ON
For JCADA, I created "Going to Court" flyers that highlighted what to expect at each District and Circuit court JCADA serves. Included on each flyer was the location, open hours, contact information, parking information, public transportation access, interpreter information and courtrooms rules (food, drink, cellular devices, etc.) for each court. On the back of each flyer were "grounding exercises"- ways to calm down and relieve anxiety that may arise from the stress of going to court. I uploaded this because I was proud of how it turned out and the effort it took to collect this information for each court location. Also, confronting one's abuser can be extremely scary, so having everything you need to know compiled on a single paper can help alleviate worry. I never considered how figuring all this information out for one's self while preparing for court could be added stress. I was happy I could help in some way.
HOW DID I FIND MY PRACTICUM?
During the course of the Spring 2021 semester, I took the course CCJS230: Criminal Law in Action with Dr. Courtney Fischer. Dr. Fischer invited staff at JCADA to speak about what their organization does and what non-profit legal representation looks like. I was intrigued by the organization and their mission, and reached out to Dr. Fischer for more information on how to contact the head of the legal program. I believe a great resource for identifying a practicum site would be one of your professors. They have all sorts of connections to outside organizations and will be more than happy to point you in the right direction!
HOW I'LL APPLY THIS EXPERIENCE TO MY FUTURE
Prior to my experience at JCADA, I only had a general desire to be a lawyer- with no specific pathway or specialization in mind. However, after my time with JCADA I have developed a passion for non-profit law. Too many people receive inadequate, or none at all, legal representation because they are simply not able to afford it. I want to work as a lawyer for a non-profit, or do pro-bono legal work. I also hope to one day start my own non-profit. I believe this experience is a great start to my work experience and will make me an asset to many legal programs.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
During the rest of my time at UMD, I hope to take further Criminology and Criminal Justice coursework that will expand my knowledge about the legal system and those it victimizes. I also am planning on adding a double major in Business Management. Adding Business to my degree will help me with my desire to work within and start my own non-profit organization.Â
Post-graduation at UMD I plan to attend law school. I'm hoping to further my education in the D.C. area. With my law degree, I'd like to work at a non-profit like JCADA or for a general family law practice. During my time as a lawyer, I want to help craft and support legislation that promotes crime victims' rights. Overall, I aim to support and give a voice to those victimized by loved ones and/or the justice system itself.