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Greetings,

The spotlight this week is on access to justice.

As a direct result of the work of our Innovation for Justice (i4J) program, the Supreme Courts of Arizona and Utah announced approval of a new housing stability legal advocate certificate. This is part of i4J’s initiative to train advocates to help tenants facing housing instability.

We also recognize rising third-year students Adrian Braude and Conor Klerekoper. Conor and Adrian received the prestigious Peggy Browning Fellowship, which provides stipends to law students for summer work in labor rights positions.

This week’s newsletter also includes an important call to action.

i4J is seeking nominations for its inaugural Arizona Law Changemaker Awards and also is hiring project leads for the new housing stability initiative. We encourage readers to learn more below and submit nominations, apply and pass along the information about these opportunities.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

Innovation for Justice (i4J), a social justice innovation lab housed in the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business, has received approval from the Supreme Courts in Arizona and Utah to implement a new legal service model that aims to keep more low-income families in their homes.

i4J’s new Housing Stability Legal Advocate (HSLA) Initiative will train and empower licensed advocates to provide limited-scope legal advice and services to tenants who are facing housing instability. 

“The goal of the HSLA Initiative is to prevent housing problems from becoming legal problems by creating opportunities for low-income renters to receive legal help from the experienced community-based advocates that they trust,” said i4J Director Stacy Butler (’02). “92 percent of low-income Americans’ civil legal needs go unmet, so the families who will benefit from the HSLA Initiative would not receive legal assistance if not for this new legal service model. This is a community-engaged effort; i4J has worked with individuals and organizations in Arizona and Utah to understand the unmet need and build a new service model that meets tenants where they are at.” 

With Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Order 2023-19 issued in January and Supreme Court of Utah Standing Order No. 16 published in March, i4J is moving forward with the HSLA Initiative. The HSLA Initiative will initially involve a cohort of 20 individuals in each state. Funding in Arizona is provided by the Garcia Family Foundation, Vitalyst Health, the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and Maricopa County. 

Arizona is already recruiting participants. Utah recruitment will begin after the project secures funding for a Utah launch. Organizations interested in participating in the HSLA Initiative training should reach out to info@innovation4justice.org.

See the full story here.

AROUND THE COLLEGE

University of Arizona Law rising third-year JD students Adrian Braude and Conor Klerekoper have been awarded Peggy Browning Fellowships.

This summer, Adrian will work for Lubin and Enoch, PC in Phoenix, AZ, representing plaintiffs and unions. Conor will work at the Center for Progressive Reform in Washington, DC, a think tank that researches and writes policy for worker protections, government accountability and environmental justice. 

The Peggy Browning Fund is a not-for-profit organization established in memory of Margaret A. Browning, a prominent union-side attorney who was a member of the National Labor Relations Board from 1994 until 1997. Peggy Browning Fellowships provide law students with unique, diverse and challenging work experiences fighting for social and economic justice. 

“It is an honor to be awarded a fellowship that has served as a launching pad for so many advocates for workplace justice. This fellowship will allow me access to a network of accomplished people who fight for workers’ rights,” said Adrian. 

“My goal coming to law school was to join the labor movement and work towards a sustainable future built around environmental justice, egalitarian principles and worker protections, by fighting for the people,” said Conor. “My goal for this summer is to become a strong policy writer, and hopefully have my work aid legislatures in writing policy to protect workers and the environment.” 

Adrian and Conor are among a cohort of around 105 Peggy Browning Fellowship recipients, the largest ever. They were selected from more than 550 applicants.

See the full story here.

IN THE NEWS

New law school admissions test developed by Univ of Arizona gets ABA approval

Reuters, featuring JD-Next and Marc Miller

Twitter, @uarizonalaw

The work of our Innovation for Justice (i4j) program in making real changes in the real world—through deep and sustained engagement and partnerships with groups, individuals and institutions in the community, and all branches of government, is readily visible in the new Housing Stability Legal Advocates approved by the Arizona and Utah Supreme Courts.

Powerful as the work of i4J is, the ability to impact access to justice at scale turns on the perspective and efforts of institutions and individuals around our states, around our country (and increasingly drawing attention around the world). The Arizona Law Changemaker Award offers the opportunity to identify and celebrate the most innovative access to justice efforts. Thanks go to Arizona Law alumnus Stephen Golden for his belief in what i4J has done, and his commitment to leverage our deep efforts and highlight transformative work around the country. 

Warmly,