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WOMEN IN LAW

she has been limited as to the types of jobs
she is able to pursue. Finally, adding insult
to injury, she had a criminal record with over Michael Jackson, Retired Judge
thirty misdemeanor and felony convictions
that affected her employment and housing Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas
opportunities. Fortunately for Delilah, she
found a place where she could get the help
and support that she needed. Our goal is to
try to reach the other “Delilahs” who are not
being identified. Mediator / Arbitrator
The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Private Judge
Law Clinic, primarily funded by the Ohio
Attorney General’s Office, strives to serve 216-280-5502
these women, men, and children whose
victimization is often concealed just below mej@wowway.com
the surface. As the founder and Director of
the NEO Human Trafficking Law Clinic,
I was thrilled to be able to join the Renee
Jones Empowerment Center, a non-profit that Business / Public Sector
was already providing services to trafficking
survivors for the past sixteen years. Together Malpractice / Injury
we are able to provide holistic legal, advocacy, Labor / Employment
therapeutic, and case management services
for human-trafficking survivors all in one,
warm, loving space. The NEO Human
Trafficking Law Clinic has four attorneys,
two case managers, a paralegal, a personal
advocate, and three survivor-mentors.
The services we are able to provide are
unique in several respects. First, we use a
therapeutic-team approach to client service. A FIRM FITfor me
We have regular team meetings with our staff
where we discuss each client to ensure that As an attorney with three children,
we are addressing all of our client’s needs. finding a firm that equally supports
my professional growth and having
We remind ourselves to look at our client a life outside of work is important.
from every angle and to consider how her I’ve never been comfortable with
legal issues, for example, may be affecting the idea that I would have to
her mental health and to ensure that we are choose one over the other. I’m
providing necessary supports. so happy I don’t have to.
Second, we recognize that one client may -Amanda Gatti,
need many types of representation. Often our Buckingham attorney
clients need assistance with criminal, civil,
housing, employment, education, credit,
name change, custody, divorce, benefits,
restitution, victim assistance, driver’s
privileges, and other issues.
And, third, we recognize the need for
longevity in the attorney-client relationship Read more of Amanda’s story
and we commit to represent our clients for at bit.ly/firmfit
an indefinite period of time. Because of the
of the nature of victimization and complex
trauma our clients have suffered, longevity
is important. From a practical perspective,
our clients’ legal needs generally evolve bdblaw.com
over time. A client may initially need help
with a warrant or a name change and later
April 2019 Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal | 23