Lead student counselors will work closely with the Expunction Project Supervising Attorney and Mithoff Pro Bono Scholars to manage certain expunction and nondisclosure cases from intake through conclusion. Students will help people determine eligibility to expunge criminal records or obtain orders of nondisclosure of criminal records; obtain criminal records from courts and other agencies; draft petitions; and prepare individuals for pro se expunction hearings. Lead student counselors provide essential leadership among student volunteers and support to the Pro Bono Scholar student leaders during intake, work, and exit sessions. Expunging records allows people to legally deny offenses and erases records from criminal histories, mitigating future harm stemming from arrests that do not result in a criminal conviction. Orders of nondisclosure direct police departments and other agencies not to disclose criminal records on background checks, and allow a person to not disclose offenses on applications for housing or employment.
Organization
Criminal Justice Project, Mithoff Pro Bono Program
The Expunction Project is an internal project of the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program’s Educational Equity Project.
Project Details
- Project Start Date
February 2019; Lead student counselors must attend one Expunction Intake Clinic (Tuesday, February 5, 4:00pm-9pm OR Saturday, February 23, 9:00am-12pm OR 1:00-4:00), one Expunction Work Session (Tuesday, March 12, 5pm-8:30pm OR Tuesday March 26, 5pm-8:30pm), AND one Expunction Exit Session (Wednesday, April 10, 5pm-9pm, OR Tuesday, April 16, 5pm-9pm). *End times are estimated. Students with class conflicts may arrive after classes end. Lead Student Counselors should commit to being present at each session until all applicants are seen.
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 20-25 hours during the spring semester, including training sessions.
- Training
- Students must attend Expunction Intake Training on Friday, February 1, 1pm-3pm (TNH 2.139) OR Tuesday, February 19, 6-8pm (TNH 2.123); students must also attend separate trainings for lead student counselors that will be scheduled based on student availability; returning Lead Student Counselors will be required to attend training sessions in Spring 2019 (other than Intake Training, which is encouraged, but not required)
- Skills used
- Client interviewing; communication about client’s legal needs; document preparation and review
- Project location
- Expunction Intake and Exit Sessions are at the Travis County Law Library, 314 W. 11th Street (February 5) or Goodwill Central Texas Community Center, 1015 Norwood Park Blvd. (February 23); Expunction Work Sessions are at the law school; other work will be performed in the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law (CCJ 1.324).
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 12
- Class year preference
- 1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
- Required skills
- Language: Spanish helpful but not necessary; prior Expunction Project experience helpful but not necessary
- To Apply
- Submit email stating interest and indicating 1) which Intake Session you would like to attend and 2) which intake training session you would like to attend to Sarah Sedgwick at ssedgwick@law.utexas.edu