UC student’s passion for helping manifests in work with Cleveland Legal Aid

University of Cincinnati College of Law students always find ways to make a difference, and Heather Campbell is no exception. This past summer, the third-year student gained valuable experience as a summer associate at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland in the Family Law Practice Group. She primarily worked with clients who were seeking divorce or civil protection due to domestic violence.

“I worked directly with clients by conducting interviews to determine whether their case was one with which Legal Aid was able to assist, either immediately or in the future,” Campbell explained. 

If a case was accepted, Campbell was responsible for gathering information necessary to build their case and advocate for the clients. Her job responsibilities included drafting applications, pleadings, and affidavits, as well as preparing clients for their appearances at hearings.

In response to COVID-19, Campbell said she also played an important role for the Ohio Supreme Court by drafting a policy memo regarding best practices for video-conferencing in domestic violence hearings.

Campbell acknowledged the challenges that came with working remotely due to the ongoing pandemic. However, this proved to be an excellent learning and growth experience for her.

“When I accepted the position, I was not anticipating all the work would be done remotely," she said. "All my previous experience in building relationships with clients had been in-person, so it was a considerable adjustment for me to create that rapport over the phone by humanizing myself and the client.”