University of Idaho College of Law Public Interest Law Group

As a member of the Public Interest Law Group I was able to participate in alternative spring break.  Although I am only a 1L, it was the most beneficial experiences I have had all year.  I spent my week at the Spokane Center for Justice (CFJ).  The CFJ is a privately funded non-profit organization that believes justice is indeed for all.  They believe that when a single citizen experiences justice, we all move closer to a true democracy.  The CFJ runs a community advocacy clinic where individuals can come with their legal issues and possibly attain help from the center.

Most of my time at the CFJ was spent in the clinic.  I worked on updating the law in their legal binders to make sure they were applying all current laws as of 2008.  I was also able research the issue for a number of cases that came into the clinic.  Within a span of two days I saw landlord/tenant issues, property deed issues, and products liability/tort issues.

I was also able to complete two research projects for which I had to write memos during my time at the CFJ.  I examined case law on an environmental issue relating to the Spokane River and the cities authority to close a portion of a navigable river due to overhead construction.  I also spent time looking for litigation regarding cost distribution of a mandatory arbitration clause and whether or not the dispute arises out of an employer promulgated plan or an individually-negotiated employment agreement.

Needless to say within a week I was exposed to real legal issues in all areas of law that I have studied in my first year.  I woke up excited to go to work every day and loved the opportunity I had to apply abstract concepts learned in class to issues that were really going to make a difference in the life of an individual.  There have been many times during this first year that I have wondered what area of law I really wanted to practice.  After this experience it is even harder to decide because I got to see how fun and exciting property can be, how simple civil procedure rules can make life, and even the contract dispute was an interesting issue that had real world applicability.

I really felt at home at the CFJ and I truly believe that everyone should love their job and want to go to work everyday.  It was a great overall experience and it reaffirmed my determination to be a lawyer and to make a difference, even in my own life.

by Heidi Tolman

End of day three…..I can’t believe that I am still waking up excited to go to work every morning. It never fails something interesting is happening at this office. My big fear today was the memo…..I was filled with so much fear and dread as I handed my 3 page memo to the lawyer who requested it. I asked him to please not judge me to harshly because I was under duress. This is the first time I have handed in a legal writing for something other than a grade from O’neal. No offense O’neal, you sometimes put fear into me as well but this was the real world and it was just different. It’s not like I can get fired for doing a poor job, I just really want to do well…….More to come tomorrow.

Heidi

As day two comes to a close…..One of the attorneys came in this morning and said the following:  “The Spokane River is a navigable river, the city is upgrading the Barker St. bridge and wants to restrict public access to a part of the river during the construction.  Write me a memo to let me know if that is legal.”  All my LRW skills are coming in handy today and 5 hours later I still don’t have an answer…More to come tomorrow, hopefully I can knock this issue out because apparently they have a lot more work for me to do!……Hope you are all enjoying Spring Break…..Heidi Tolman

I am working at the Spokane Center for Justice which is a privately funded non-profit organization. Specifically I am working in their community advocacy clinic. Today I started by updating the law that the other interns use when looking up information relating to a specific client. The first area I was assigned was landlord/tenant law. This may seem very trite but I appreciate the real world application I am having to property. In Beard’s class we recently finished landlord/tenant law and it is great to see such terms in Washington state law as periodic tenancy, month-to-month- tenancy, warranty of habitability and the likes. To see the law in another place besides a textbook has so far been a great experience…..Heidi Tolman