The White House and the Department of Justice recognized Georgia State University College of Law as one of 99 law schools that responded to the Attorney General’s Call to Action to address the housing and eviction crisis in the U.S.
College of Law Dean LaVonda Reed, along with law deans nationwide, signed a statement of support after the Call to Action was issued in August 2021. By joining, she affirmed the College of Law’s commitment to help millions of families remain in their homes amid the ongoing pandemic.
During the fall semester, more than 20 College of Law students teamed up with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and the Georgia Legal Services Program through the Center for Access to Justice’s Pro Bono Program.
“At Georgia State Law, we are committed to increasing access to the courts and equal treatment for all in the legal system, through our Pro Bono Program and many other volunteer and experiential learning opportunities,” Dean Reed said. “I am proud of our students and faculty for stepping up once again to make a life-changing impact on residents in Georgia.”
In just two months, Georgia State Law students assisted in interviewing 354 tenants over more than 250 hours and obtaining more than $2.5 million in rental assistance for clients in need across 100 cities in the state of Georgia.
“This experience [volunteering with GLSP’s Rental Assistance Outreach through the Pro Bono Program] started off as something I was anxious and self-conscious about, but it ended up being one of the best things I have done in my law school career,” said Mark Pickett (J.D. ’23). “In fact, it reminded me why I came to law school in the first place—to help people.”
Through AVLF, students helped to educate more than 1,000 tenants and supply them with resources including the eviction hotline and the Fulton County Housing Court Assistance Center.
“This project felt different than any of my other pro bono work,” said Alex Patafio (J.D. ’23). “There was a harrowing sense of urgency. The fact that we were able to secure so much cumulative rental assistance is equal parts relieving and infuriating. The money is there and available, but those who need it don’t have any idea that it exists, or that they are qualified for it.”
In addition to the law students volunteer efforts, the Center for Access to Justice has produced several pandemic and housing related reports over the last few years, including “Courts in Crisis: Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Eviction Court in Georgia.”
Overall, the Call to Action has led to increased access to justice and eviction prevention in jurisdictions across the country. According to a survey tracking the effort facilitated by the Georgetown University Law Center and New York University School of Law, more than 2,100 law students dedicated about 81,000 hours to serve more than 10,000 households nationwide.
You can watch the White House and Department of Justice Law School Eviction Prevention Convening here.
Georgia State University College of Law students who participated:
GLSP:
- Arielle Lewis
- Kristy Nguyen
- Heather Silva
- Kerry Heneghan
- Parrie Johnson
- Alan Woodall
- Emily Mabry Huskey
- Jared Barrett
- Julia deGraft-Johnson
- Zoe Siepert
- Kelsey Blume
- Alex Patafio
- Will Fox
- Alvarine Wagner
- Mark Pickett
- Michelle Andrews
- Kierra Powell
AVLF:
- Meredith Elkin
- Arielle Lewis
- Zoe Siepert
- Dan Wingate
- Ray-Kelle Preston
- Zainab Okunowo
- Liliana Chiciu
- Kate Schiller
- Parrie Johnson
- Briana Sabataso
- Daniela Hoolihan
- Duncan de la Feld
- Cheyenne Hunt
- Marin A Winter
- Manda Torres
- Mackenzie Miller