At the 2015 Volunteers for Justice Dinner on June 22, the Public Law Center will recognize Anna Strasburg Davis, Director of Public Interest Programs at the University of California-Irvine School of Law, as the Attorney of the Year. Anna is being honored for her leadership in establishing pro bono programs in Orange County that allow UCI Law students to work alongside attorneys. Since 2009, when UCI Law’s first class arrived on campus, students have contributed more than 34,000 pro bono hours.
“I see this award as recognition of the work of a lot of people, including students who volunteer their time, but especially those attorneys at PLC who have gone above and beyond to provide support, mentorship, and encouragement to our students,” said Anna.
As Director of Public Interest Programs, Anna established an on-going clinic at the Lamoreaux Justice Center where students assist victims of domestic violence with the declarations needed to complete requests for restraining orders. PLC partnered with UCI and proactively worked to get grant funding to provide attorneys from PLC to staff the clinics. This weekly clinic–held Mondays–has served 332 domestic violence survivors to date.
“Our partnership with Anna and UCI Law is about providing access to justice to those in need today and building a pipeline of leadership for legal services for the future,” said PLC Executive Director & General Counsel Ken Babcock. “We want to recognize Anna for creating a legal training program that teaches aspiring lawyers critical skills in real-world settings.”
Anna has credited her own experience as a law student for her dedication to hands-on work for law students. During her time at the University of Michigan, she joined together with other students to identify or create the pro bono experiences that she felt were missing from her education. Anna worked as an attorney in the Orange County area before becoming the Director of Public Interest Programs at UCI. She said the school’s focus on public interest and hands-on learning was an immediate draw.
“I think the biggest surprise for me in this position is how much the Orange County legal community has embraced the law school to do hands-on service,” said Davis. “All of the attorneys I’ve met in OC are very dedicated to the idea of providing legal services to those in need. Everybody’s very supportive, and I’m delighted every day.”
Students have worked in many different units at PLC, including the Veteran’s Unit, Small Business, and Consumer Rights sections. This semester, students are working on four U visa cases, along with bankruptcy and guardianship cases and at citizenship fairs. Anna coordinates about 75 active projects for students each semester.
“I see myself as a facilitator who brings together the three legal constituencies – the legal community, students, and the law firms – and helping them find projects to collaborate and meet the needs of the community. I am grateful to all who make this possible.”