UC law student develops advocacy skills at D.C. Children’s Law Center

Every year, University of Cincinnati College of Law students gain invaluable experience outside of the classroom and even outside of Cincinnati. This past summer, things looked a little different with COVID-19, but that didn’t stop third-year law student Leah Castelaz from working remotely with the Children’s Law Center (CLC) located out in Washington, D.C.

Castelaz worked—and continues to work—as a policy clerk for the CLC, where she researches and develops citywide recommendations that ensure local policies, legislation, and funding meet the needs of children throughout Washington, D.C. “I’ve had a lot of trial experience and have had an in-depth look at the court system,” she recalls, “and so I was really curious about the advocacy side of things; that’s what really drew me to this opportunity.”

CLC has done an excellent job of ensuring Castelaz feels like she’s part of the team. Her coworkers always check in to see how things are going and projects are progressing, but they also ask about each other’s pets during laidback virtual calls. “Unfortunately, with COVID, I didn’t get to move to D.C. So, I came back to Cleveland but still was able to work at CLC, which I really appreciated.” Despite working remotely from Ohio, she is still able to gain valuable experience from a few hundred miles away by collaborating with the mayor, district agencies, and the D.C. City Council.

Castelaz hopes to take her knowledge of the law to create tangible and sustainable change, and to create new or better laws, policies, and practices. She says, “I have learned that means finding a way within my future practice to empower those who can speak to these inequalities and disparities to do so.”

Looking toward the future, Castelaz sees herself continuing to do the work she does now, saying “I joke and say that if CLC offered me a job, they could, and I would accept right now!” For her, working behind-the-scenes with policy writing by advocating to change laws falls right in line with the reason she came to law school.

She states, “I came to law school to help create an environment for individuals and communities be able to advocate for themselves. I wanted to know the laws and help create spaces to amplify the voices the vulnerable, underrepresented communities to speak up on the injustices they face.”  Click here to find information about the Children’s Law Center and the work they do.  

Author: Andy Cheng, graduate student and Cincinnati Law writing assistant

Feature image at top: children playing from istockphoto.com