Introduction

The Legal Education Foundation

The Legal Education Foundation (LEF for short) is a foundation that supports organisations, to use the law as a tool for change. 

Justice First Fellowship (JFF)

LEF operates a fellowship scheme called the Justice First Fellowship (JFF), a programme which funds social welfare lawyers across the UK to undertake their legal traineeship. The scheme is modelled on similar programmes run in the United States like the Equal Justice Works Fellowships and Skadden Fellowships. The JFF ensures continued training opportunities for those who wish to work in social welfare, areas such as housing, debt, benefits, education, care rights, immigration & asylum, and employment etc. The scheme also creates a network of fellows, past and present, who can come together, draw on experience, build lasting relationships and friendships and continue to use the law as a tool for justice and positive change.

New York Learning Exchange

As well as supporting new trainees into the field of social welfare law, the JFF Programme provides many other opportunities to share experience and learning.

One of these opportunities is that all alumni get the chance to spend one week in New York on a learning exchange. This is an opportunity to experience how social justice operates in another jurisdiction, and to take away ideas on how to develop further as a social justice lawyer. In 2023 I was lucky enough to be a part of the learning exchange programme and I wanted to write about it for several reasons. Firstly, to say thank you to those who set it up, secondly to shine a light on the amazing work of all of the organisations involved in the learning exchange, and thirdly to ensure that the inspiration that I have taken from the experience can be shared with others within the wider legal sector.

The learning exchange was led by the JFF programme in partnership with the Center for Justice Innovation, New York (the Center).  The Center is an organisation which works to impact all parts of the justice system within New York. The Center sometimes describes itself as 'a big stage' helping with the implementation of significant policy reform such as its work regarding Rikers Island (an infamous prison in New York which the Center amongst others has fought tirelessly to have shut down). The Center also works on the ground aiming to improve practice and access to justice in a wide range of communities across New York.

The Center conducts invaluable research to document problems within local communities and to highlight which approaches work and which approaches don't work in terms of addressing systemic issues. The data collected is used by the Center to assess problems and design test programmes with an aim to resolving these problems. The Center goes on to evaluate the success and results of such programmes and present that data as a means to progress positive change.  As a result of it’s work, and it’s engagement with communities, justice officials and with NGOs, the Center has been involved in the creation of a wide range of hugely successful programmes across the city of New York. I will touch more on some of their specific projects below.

Impact is a consultancy which brings together a hand-picked team of litigators, journalists, project planners and researchers, with direct experience of how the law can be used alongside other campaign tools to drive lasting social change. Impact offers tailored, timely, tried-and-tested advice and support for individuals and groups to plan and execute a litigation campaign strategy.

The Group

Our Hosts

Our lovely hosts included, Matthew Smerdon, Deborah Acquaah, Shauneen Lambe, and Ignacio Jaureguilorda

From Left to Right, Rupshana Uddin, Owen McCloskey, Racheal Busingye, Louise Crouch, Awen Gravell, (featuring Shauneen Lambe and Deborah Acquaah), Mark McDonald-Loncke, Aaqib Javed, Louise Herd (Alex Goldenberg is missing in action)

Day 1.

Sunday, October 15th 2023

9:00am
Meet at DoubleTree New York Times Square South Lobby 525 8th Avenue

10:00am
Ellis Island Ferry

Our first day was spent travelling by boat to see the statue of liberty and to visit the National Museum of Immigration. The Statue of Liberty was really impressive in person and the views of New York from the ferry were spectacular.    

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is a living monument telling the stories of the millions of migrants who passed through Ellis Island, who had travelled to New York in the hopes of a better life. The museum encourages you to consider the stories of immigration pre and post Ellis Island. It encourages you to think of the bravery and resilience of those who set off with the hope of a new life, often engaging in extremely dangerous and precarious journeys across countries, not knowing what they will face upon arrival.

The North and South Towers - 'Reflecting Absence' 

After a short boat trip, we landed back on the shore and walked through Battery Park. We came upon Liberty Park and thereafter to the sight of the footprints of the North and South Towers.

We stood silently and thought of the souls lost on September 11, 2001. We stared deep into the Pools of Remembrance; the sound of cascading water filled our ears. Our eyes were drawn to the parapets, so beautifully inscribed with the names of those who lost their lives in the tragedies of 9/11. A single rose had been inserted into a letter of a name of a loved one.

The pools of remembrance are surrounded by 400 swamp white oak trees. The memorial was designed to create a place of tranquillity and of contemplation. One of my fellows Racheal mentioned that it was a place that to her, felt peaceful.  This was something that I felt too. Yet the sadness and tragedy could not be escaped.

5:00pm
Dinner at Remedy Diner, 245 East Houston Street, New York

In the late afternoon we strolled through the city in the direction of dinner. Owen and I saw a man walking his pet duck. The duck was off lead, free range, and it was wearing red boots. The others didn’t believe us when we told them. Was the big apple getting to us already?

We came to Remedy diner, 245 E Houston St, an American Diner. The food was delicious, and the service was great. Despite us all being completely full, we asked our waiter to bring a slice of almost every pie on the menu. About 8 pies were delivered to our table along with two bowls of ice-cream. I had my first taste of Key Lime Pie and Pecan Pie. Owen was forced to take on the Tiramisu all by himself. I ordered a double espresso, which in this diner meant a large soup bowl of espresso. There was heated debate among my companions about two apparently major films, Bee Movie and Antz. Having not watched either, I sat back and sipped my espresso soup. 

Day 2

Monday October 16th 2023

8:45 -10:30
Introduction to the Learning Exchange & Breakfast,
The Center, 520 8th Ave, 18th Floor

Meeting Ignacio Jaureguilorda, Project Director, Center

Ignacio welcomed us to the offices of the Center with warmth, infectious positive energy and with coffee, bagels and cream cheese. Ignacio’s energy almost cured my jet lag. He would spend the rest of the week taking excellent care of us, introducing us to all sorts of incredible people and their social justice initiatives throughout the city. He also ensured we did not get lost in the absolute melting pot that is New York. He was leader, navigator, tour guide and teacher. We spent our first official exchange day learning about the incredible work of the Center where Ignacio works.

The Center’s work focuses on Rethinking incarceration, Engaging communities, Aiding survivors, Preventing crime, Improving decision-making, Advancing fairness, and Strengthening families.  

Meeting Courtney Bryan, Executive Director, The Center

We were lucky to get the chance to meet and speak with the Executive Director, Courtney Bryan who was running that day across the city to work, but kindly spent time with us explaining about the complex and interesting dynamics of the organisation and their focus.

From hearing from both Ignacio and Courtney, I learnt that some of the secret weapons of the Center included: “Ideas that come directly from the communities they serve, Relentless engagement, bringing people together who would never otherwise be in the same room ‘the tent’ and things they learn when they fail.”

To learn more about the work of the Center see

The Center for Justice Innovation

10:30am – 12:30pm
Meeting the Center panel

Jennifer Medina, Colleen Smith, Vivianna Gordon and Brianna Williams (with Ignacio Jaureguilorda)

We spoke with four incredible women working at the Center, including Vivianna Gordon, Director, Planning & Implementation, Colleen Smith, Director, New Jersey Programs, Jennifer Medina, Senior Program Manager, and Brianna Williams, Planner.

N.B. Brianna was an EJW Fellow and it was great to see an example of how supporting social justice lawyers at the start of their career can open up you up to exciting and influential opportunities in social justice organisations.'

The panel discussed some of the social justice initiatives run by the Center for Justice. They addressed their focus of ‘resolving issues early on’ when working in communities. They spoke of their innovative programs, including Red Hook Community Center and Brownsville Community Justice Center. They discussed the Center’s work relating to incarceration and spoke to us of the deplorable conditions at Rikers Island (New Yorks infamous Prison), and the edict to close the notorious prison. They spoke of how their social justice initiatives only worked if they were invited in to help the communities, and how their programs had to be built and led by those very communities to be successful. They spoke about People Centered Justice, the importance of research, learning from failure, and the skill of dealing with case law tactically.

14:00 – 17:00
Fair Housing Justice Center, (FHJC) Elizabeth Grossman, Executive Director/General Counsel

We met with Elizabeth Grossman who has spent her career fighting as an attorney for people with disabilities, for families and individuals living in poverty, and now at the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) to fight for those facing housing discrimination through litigation, advocacy, training and outreach.

What do the Fair Housing Justice Center Do?

The aim is to ensure that those looking for homes do not face discrimination, that people have access to choice when it comes to where they live, and that communities can as a result, become open, accessible and inclusive.

The FHJC help individuals who have been treated less favorably when looking to purchase, or rent homes, on account of  their race, color, religion, national origin, sex or family status (all of which are legally protected characteristics).

When an individual reports a case of discrimination, the FHJC utilizes members of a team of testers, who are professional actors, whose role is to pose as individuals looking to seek homes and who then record their interactions with housing providers to work out whether they are complying with fair housing laws or not.

The investigations have seen huge success and have led to the enforcement of fair housing laws, recovery of damages and civil penalties in successful cases, and to change in policies and practice for housing providers.

To Read more about the success of the FHJC  Fair Housing Justice v Goldfarb

A Proud Year for the FHJC

6pm
Brooklyn Nets Game, Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Philadelphia 76ers v Brooklyn Nets

At 5pm we took the subway to Brooklyn and entered into the awesome atmosphere of a basketball game in New York.  This was the most exciting game of sport I have ever watched. I got really into it, so much so I went back the next week for more! There was music, cheerleading, crowd participation, kids dancing on the screens, free t-shirts fired out of guns, and it was super family friendly. Ben Simmons (Brooklyn Nets) and Kelly Oubre Jr (76ers) were amongst our favorite players of the game.

Day 3

Tuesday October 17th 2023

10am – 12pm
Campaigning Around Strategic Litigation with Shauneen Lambe

On Tuesday morning Shauneen Lambe took us through some of her top take aways when campaigning around strategic litigation. Shauneen spoke to us about the ‘We belong’ campaign which was a project set up by Just for Kids Law by Chrisann Jarett, when she was told that she was unable to obtain student finance due to her immigration status.

See more about the ‘We belong’ campaigns success.

Young Migrants Standing Up - We Belong! Success

Some key take aways from Shauneen’s session included

1. The power of Positive Campaigning

2. Being open to unlikely Allies

3. Being aware that organisations and Individuals have different Goals and knowing what those are.

4. The anticipation of critique

5. Protecting those involved
   
   

12:30pm – 2:00pm
Strategic Litigation with Squire Patton Boggs, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, 26th Floor

In the afternoon we ventured to the Avenue of the Americas (as impressive as it sounds) (sixth avenue) and stepped inside the monumental building that is known as the News Corp. This is an International Style skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan which hosts Fox News, News Corp, Dow Jones, The Wall St Journal, The New York Post and others.

We got temporary passes and took the lift up to the 26th floor to Squire Patton Boggs (SPB) a full-service global law firm. We met with Carine Williams, Niko Cohen & Olive Brogan at SPB and they spoke with us about their incredible pro bono work and dedicated pro bono team within the firm.

Squire Patton Boggs Public Service Initiative

What is the SPB Public Service Initiative (PSI)? The PSI involves a group of their solicitors and legal staff who have had incredible success in litigating in capital punishment and life imprisonment cases for clients who face miscarriages of justices and on behalf of those denied fundamental rights. The team spoke to us about egregious miscarriages of justices faced by some of their clients, of Amicus briefs, Alfred Pleas, Prison condition Issues, and the massive hurdles their clients and those in the criminal justice system still face in certain states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. The barriers to justice they discussed included lack of access to quality legal services, legal time bars, and the enormous failures of the legal system as a whole in respect of general rights and with regard to rights to due process. They spoke of the massive power imbalances which still exist to this day. They spoke to us of capital punishment which is still used as a legal penalty by 27 states in the US.  They spoke to us about death in prison.

The PSI team went into detail with us about some of their own cases and spoke of the clients that they worked with. They spoke of specific cases of extreme injustice, but also of their success stories. I was struck by the dedication and empathy of these lawyers who pour everything into the work they do and who care deeply for the outcomes of their clients cases and their clients lives. From speaking with these lawyers, I could understand how such emotional investment was necessary and unavoidable in such work. I was also struck by the resilience and bravery of their clients to persevere in the face of such brutal injustice. 

If you have some time, please read about the amazing success of the PSI below.

Successful Litigation regarding Capital Punishment and Life Imprisonment Cases

One of the cases the team at SPB discussed with us was that of Kenneth Reams, who has been represented by the team at SPB for more than two decades. See their blog about his case here - Kenneth Reams

Please see the documentary about Kenneth Reams - Choosing Life on Death Row - Free Men - Kenneth Reams

3pm-5:30pm
Vera Institute of Justice, 34 35th Street, Industry City, Brooklyn

Vera

Vera is an organization fighting to end mass incarceration. Vera use advocacy, research and activism to fight against the overcriminalization of people of color, immigrants and those experiencing poverty and to reduce the usage of incarceration. They also use the tools to safeguard the dignity of those impacted by criminal and immigration systems & to support and invest in communities to ensure they are safer and can thrive.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Jullian Harris-Calvin and Sebastian Soloman, both of whom where lovely, very open and who made us all laugh.

Both Jullian and Sebastian are Directors for Vera’s Greater Justice New York Program. The program focuses on exposing injustice within the criminal justice system and works to drive change through the piloting of innovative programs, through the use of data analysis, through publishing evidence for others, and through working with others.

Day 4

Wednesday, October 18th 2023

10:30 – 12:30
Red Hook Community Justice Center, 88 Visitation Place, Brooklyn

Red Hook Community Justice Center

The Red Hook Community Justice Center is a multi-jurisdictional court, which aims to help the community of southwest Brooklyn access all the support they need. The court grew out of a demand for a new, different and improved response to problems facing the community. The court’s approach is one of restorative justice and makes use of sanctions and services to address the needs of individuals and the community. The presiding Judge can make use of services such as community restitution projects, psycho -educational groups, and long-term treatment programs when dealing with individuals who come through the court. We had the opportunity to sit in the Red Hook Court and discuss the court’s success with Judge Sharen Hudson. The work of the Justice Center extends beyond the court and offers community programs which aim to improve safety and trust more widely within the community.

Some of the programs operating within the Center include

• Peacemaking Program – a Native American approach whereby people come together to try to heal and restore instead of punish.

• Youth Court – training teenagers to handle cases which involve their peers.

• Housing Resource – providing assistance to those facing difficulties with their housing such as repair issues, and eviction.  

3:00 – 5:00PM
City University School of Law

In the afternoon we had the chance to visit Ignacio’s university stomping ground – CUNY Law School.

The CUNY Law Schools mission is to train public interest lawyers who are dedicated to using the law as a tool for positive change. It was set up to expand access within the legal profession and to use the law ‘in service of human needs’.

We spent time with John Whitlow who is an Associate professor at the law school. John teaches courses on Property Law, Housing Justice and Tenant’s Rights, and he also co-directs one of the clinics within the law school called the Community and Economic Development Clinic. We spent time discussing the differences between the UK and US legal education systems and discussed the strengths and the weaknesses of both. We all broke bread together in the CUNY Classroom which was a lovely end to our time with John.  

Day 5

Thursday October 19 2023

10:00am – 1:00PM
Bronx Family Court, 900 Sheridan Avenue, Bronx

We spent Thursday morning and early afternoon at the Bronx Family Court.  We entered the court room of Judge Liberty Aldrich who swiftly allocated the fellows into different court rooms so that we could all experience different cases and different judges in action.

Aaqib and I sat in Judge Cynthia Lopez’s court, and we were able to get a glimpse into how the family courts in New York operate. We spoke with Judge Lopez about some of the similarities and differences between our own family law courts and legal systems, and we were both interested to know what had inspired and led the way to her working as a Judge in family law. Judge Lopez spoke to us about her background working within the public sector as an Attorney in the Administration of Children’s Services. It was interesting to hear about her experiences and her motivations to continue practicing in an area of law where she could make a real difference.  Judge Lopez was extremely warm, personable and a joy to speak to.  

1:00 – 2:30PM
Lunch with the Family Court Judges – Pizza with the Family Court Judges and the lovely court staff – not your usual Thursday afternoon!!!

3:30PM – 5:30PM
Strategic Litigation with Melanie Carr

We spent the late afternoon speaking with Melanie Carr, who is an Investigation and Mitigation Specialist. Melanie has utilized her Harvard Degree in anthropology to advance capital defense cases, and cases where young people are serving extremely lengthy prison sentences. Melanie’s work involves thorough analysis of a person’s social history, and the piecing together of crucial evidence, which may have previously been missed by those working on a case. Melanie has in the past worked at Louisiana Capital Assistance Center in New Orleans, which is an organization providing legal representation to those who cannot afford legal assistance, and who have been charged with capital crimes in Louisiana and elsewhere. Melanie has since established ‘A Fighting Chance’ which is a nonprofit capital defense office, it’s mission “to provide prompt and thorough investigation and mitigation development services to indigents facing the death penalty…”,

For more on her work

The Justice Center

Echoing Green Fellow Melanie- Carr

We all then spent Thursday evening enjoying lots of food and watching “The Case Against 8”

A documentary about the 5-year Supreme Court legal battle that took place to gain marriage equality in California.  

Day 6

Friday October 20, 2023

9:30 -11:00am
Blue Ridge Labs @ Robin Hood – Leveraging Technology for Justice, 150 Court Street, Brooklyn, New York

Our final day was spent visiting Blue Ridge Labs a ‘social impact tech incubator’ that runs programs to encourage designers, engineers, experts to come together and to work collaboratively to design and build new tech for communities within New York City.

Blue Ridge offers a fellowship program, where individuals come together to undertake intensive community-based research and to thereafter design, build and test tech solutions.

We had the chance to hear from their amazing current fellows who carried out presentations on their own individual projects. All of their projects aimed to address social issues experienced by communities within New York.  

11:30-12:30PM
Explaining Legal Cases to Lay Clients

Our final session was spent back at the Center hearing from Shauneen about how to explain complex issues to clients.

Shauneen spoke to us about the need for lawyers to be equipped with the skills to explain complex legal/factual issues to clients. She spoke of how important it was that a client understands both the procedure, and substantive case, has an idea of the possible different outcomes, a sense of a timeline/frame that a case may take, and that a client has the opportunity to relay and clarify anything they need throughout.

Shauneen spoke to us about the Refugees for Justice Campaign, and her involvement in the Independent Asylum Enquiry, both which were influenced by a tragedy which took place in Glasgow in 2020 during the Covid 19 Pandemic. This incident led to the shooting of an asylum seeker named Badreddin Abadlla Adam who had carried out a violent knife attack at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow. Prior to his attack, several reports had been made to authorities and charities, by other asylum seekers, concerned about his mental health, and about the risk he posed to both himself and others.  The incident amongst others, brought the refugees based in Glasgow together to seek justice against a system which is failing and costing people their lives.

See more about the Refugees for Justice Campaigning Group Here - Refugees For Justice

Asylum Enquiry Scotland