Diana, 2L

As a law student at the Domestic Violence Clinic, I am trained to be a advocate, and this service is so vital for the petitioners who come to court to file a restraining order, many for the first time.  The majority of the petitioners are women, specifically women of color who may not be fluent in English.

As part of the Domestic Violence Clinic, I visit the Dorchester Municipal Court twice a week.  Last week at the Dorchester Municipal Court, I worked with two clients who both filed restraining orders against their partners.  Working with victims of domestic violence is not a new experience for me but assisting them with filling out a complaint for a restraining order and standing with them as they speak to the judge is definitely a new experience.  

Both clients were afraid about the consequences of their actions and as their advocate, it was my job to inform them of the pros and cons of filing for a restraining order.  The most important question to ask a petitioner is how will the batterer/defendant react when he is notified of the restraining order.  The most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence is when she decides to leave her partner/batterer. So, an important part of my job is to inform my clients about these dangers and create a safety plan with the client in case the batterer decides to retaliate.

My two clients did obtain a restraining order, but it is only valid for 10 days.  My next responsibility will be to prepare my clients for their next court date where the defendant will most likely appear to defend himself.  My clients both are seeking to obtain a one-year restraining order.  In order to accomplish this goal, I will work with my clients in obtaining any evidence that will support the incidents on their complaint and preparing them to speak with the judge. Wish me luck!!  

Till next time.. 

Posted by Diana at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I apologize for my MIA status but I spent the few weeks of my remaining summer relaxing and catching up with family and friends.  But now I am back!!

The summer has ended and it is official: I am a 2L (second year law student).  I started school last Tuesday and what a hectic week it was.  I moved in to Boston last weekend and I love my new place located in Jamaica Plain.  I am subletting a friend's room who is currently in Quito, Ecuador working on her first Co-Op. My commute to school is only 15 minutes max and I am guaranteed a seat on the train every morning because I get on the first stop of the train.  I can't ask for anything better than that!

Unlike the courses of my first year in law school, which were chosen for me by the school, this year I had the full liberty to decide which courses to enroll into.  On Tuesday, I finalized my schedule and enrolled into the Domestic Violence Clinic, Family Law, Immigration Law and §1983 Litigation (learning how to sue police officers).   In addition, I will also be a teaching assistant for Professor Hackney's Torts Section.  

All my courses seem to be very exciting and it is apparent from the first week of class that the required reading for 2L courses is much less demanding compared to the 1L courses.  In addition to preparing for school, all 2L's across the country including myself are preparing for interviews with law firms for summer associate positions for next summer.  

I am very excited about all my courses but I am especially excited about the Domestic Violence Clinic.   As part of the Clinic, I attend class once a week and work at the Dorchester Municipal Court twice a week.  While at court, I will work as an advocate to assist victims of domestic violence with the process of applying for a restraining order. One of my responsibilities is to stand alongside a client as she/he petitions for a restraining order in court. One of my main reasons for wanting to be an attorney was to work with victims of domestic violence and now thanks to the Domestic Violence Clinic I will get a little taste of that experience.
Till next time.

Posted by Diana at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)