Farrah is a refugee from Iraq who speaks very limited English. She had been abused by her husband, but was able to secure a protection of abuse order. Because her husband was not living in their shared apartment anymore, Farrah could no longer afford her rent. She contacted CLS and received help from CLS Attorney Liz Booth in asserting her rights under the Fair Housing Ordinance to early termination of her lease as a victim of domestic violence.  Liz also advocated for Farrah when her landlord threatened legal action for unpaid rent, which Farrah knew had already been paid by her husband. As a result of this advocacy, Farrah was able to move forward with her plans to relocate to housing that was safer and more affordable for her and her children, avoiding a court judgment and the eviction process.

We had a great summer with our law school interns. At the end of the program, we asked our interns to share what they learned during their time at CLS. Here is what they told us:

"One of the many things I've learned at CLS this summer is that advocacy has many faces. Being a zealous advocate is not limited to adversarial processes; it includes building relationships with government actors and navigating bureaucratic systems. At times, these tools are more effective than litigation in advancing the needs of low-income clients." - Jessica Berger, Aging and Disabilities Unit

"Every day at CLS presents a chance to learn something new -- about the resilience of our clients, the power of zealous advocacy, the opportunities to partner with other public interest legal organizations, and the ferocious compassion of our attorneys and paralegals." - Emily Bock, Employment Unit

"At its core, effective legal advocacy is great storytelling. Every one of our clients has an incredibly compelling personal story and our job as advocates is to use our platform to help tell that story. Not only will this help further the cause of justice, it also provides our clients with an opportunity to speak and be heard. In a society as polarized as ours, that result in and of itself is valuable, regardless of the outcomes of any one individual case." - Matthew Devine, Homeownership & Consumer Law Unit

"Accepting 'no' as answer is not the job. Finding a solution is." - Chukwudi Erechukwu, Housing Unit

"My work with the Philadelphia Hoarding Task Force has highlighted the utility of open communication and collaboration within an interdisciplinary coalition of local private and public-sector stakeholders. The project has emphasized the importance of comprehensive preventative service delivery, with a person-first approach, to reduce hoarding as a public health concern for the city of Philadelphia." - Shahirah Gillespie, Housing Unit  

"The most valuable thing I learned this summer was how to use the law as an empowerment tool for my clients. Helping my clients to understand their housing rights under the law unearthed resources many of my clients didn't know they had--the ability to access justice themselves -something my clients usually believe is only available to lawyers, judges, and wealthy people. This summer, through encouraging my clients to develop and awaken their own resources, I learned an entirely different meaning to the words 'equality and justice for all.'" - Christian Pleskov, Housing Unit

"I greatly improved my skills interacting with clients over the phone and in person and finding ways to solve a client's problem on the spot. " - Justin Ruffini, Energy Unit

Public Benefits intern Jack Regenbogen had some lovely words to say about his time at CLS. Click here to read what Jack said.