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They gained new skills, and they gained a lot of empathy.” “I think the students felt good about helping people. “The response from both students and clients exceeded my expectations,” said Kotkin. “We tweeted at New York unions, the New York Department of Labor, and Brooklyn Law School alumni in New York with large followings, who helped us get the word out about PERC.” “Twitter was flooded with frustrated New Yorkers waiting for benefits,” said Jamie Levitt ’21.

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To get the word out to potential clients, the clinic’s teaching assistants posted an offer for free legal services on social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook, which garnered hundreds of responses from individuals needing assistance with unemployment benefits hearings. Guest speakers addressed issues related to family leave and disability discrimination. PERC was kicked off with a two-day virtual bootcamp in which Kotkin taught the basics of unemployment insurance law and explained new opportunities created by the federal CARES Act.

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Through this innovative program, 100 students served more than 700 clients, including out-of-work drivers for ride-hailing apps, restaurant workers, film and theater actors, and many others, helping them navigate the unemployment insurance system. By June, she had rallied students and administrators to launch the Pandemic Employment Relief Clinic (PERC). Kotkin knew the clinical program could help meet the need caused by this gap in service. She anticipated that the unemployment insurance system, which would be critical in assisting those unable to work while under stay-at-home orders, would be overwhelmed by a deluge of applications, delaying their processing and effectively denying benefits when they were needed most.

I have no doubt that with our continued investment as a community, for the next 50 years, that reputation will only grow.”Īs the pandemic forced the closure of all nonessential businesses in March, Professor Minna Kotkin, director of the Employment Law Clinic, immediately recognized the challenges ahead. “That reputation is a testament to the vision and focus of our clinical faculty and the drive and sense of purpose of our students. “Brooklyn Law School is well known throughout the legal community for training lawyers who are ready to practice on ‘day one’ of their legal careers,” said Dean Michael T. The response has been emblematic of the clinical program over a half century of innovation and commitment to education and advancing justice. Students found a sense of community and support in their clinics, and, despite extreme slowdowns in the legal system, they moved cases forward and gained skills and experience that uniquely prepared them for practice in the new remote environment. Meanwhile, faculty members launched new clinics and expanded projects to assist more people harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to support students whose internships and job prospects might have been adversely affected. As the Law School moved to a virtual environment, clinical students and faculty continued to help clients in dire need of legal services across a range of practice areas-including employment law, criminal defense, LGBTQ+ advocacy, immigration, technology and intellectual property, real estate, and more. As clinical education at Brooklyn Law School marked its 50 th anniversary this year, the program faced unprecedented challenges, but proved, once again, that its work-in the classroom and in the community-is integral to the Law School’s mission and the students, communities, and clients the program serves.