nvrdc pro bono program’s co-counseling opportunities

Civil Protection Order and Anti-Stalking Order Cases

What’s a Civil Protection Order (CPO)? A CPO is a 1-year order from a judge that forbids someone from harassing, assaulting, threatening, or stalking a survivor. Anti-stalking Orders (ASOs) work similarly for survivors by stalked by a stranger. You can assist survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking by partnering with NVRDC to offer free legal assistance and representation to a survivor attempting to obtain a CPO or ASO in DC Superior Court.

For Civil Protection Order (CPO) and Anti-Stalking Order (ASO) cases, attorneys get experience litigating in a concentrated form; the majority of CPO cases are completed within two weeks and almost all of them are done within a month.

Since each CPO case requires us to prepare for a full hearing, our typical pro bono attorney uses a CPO case as an opportunity to get experience drafting and conducting a direct examination and opening statement.

With our experienced attorneys there to assist, give feedback, and co-chair, CPO cases are a good way for young associates to gain experience litigating in court without feeling the pressure of taking on a case alone. The bulk of most CPO cases are focused on preparing for and being in court.  CPO cases can also, if the pro bono attorney wants, involve a significant amount of client interaction. **NOTE: Admission to the DC Bar is required for this type of co-counseling case.

Crime Victims’ Rights in Criminal Cases

Meanwhile, the Crime Victims' Rights (CVR) case representation is shaped a little differently.

CVR cases involve a smaller amount of time commitment over a longer period, with a greater focus on conducting research and writing motions, rather than appearing in court. Criminal cases (particularly if charged as a felony) last over a year, so the role that pro bono attorneys take can differ significantly between individual attorneys’ schedules. In most CVR cases where we ask for assistance it is for a specific issue, like subpoena defense or the victim's restitution request.

These cases tend to be a good fit for busy attorneys who want to include a few hours of pro bono work in their schedule; sometimes staying for the entirety of a case, other times only doing a discrete research project during its pendency. These discrete research projects can also involve technical oral arguments before a judge. Some of the most intense violence, stalking behaviors, or abuse can be seen in these cases or can involve very interesting legal issues for attorneys to help us tackle. These cases can have little-to-no client interaction or the attorney can fully dive in, attending meetings or even court with the client on the days she has to testify, working to protect her crime victims' rights throughout the process. **NOTE: Admission to the DC Bar is required for this type of co-counseling case.

Title IX and Clery Act-based Campus Representation

Finally, Title IX & Clery Act-based campus representation cases have even more room for new, strange, and interesting issues to come up, because this area can feel a bit like the Wild West. Under Title IX, universities are required to have on-campus procedures for student survivors of intimate partner abuse, stalking, or sexual assault to report any sexual harassment or violence and pursue a disciplinary proceeding.

Under the Clery Act, universities must publish statistics regarding what crimes are being perpetrated against their students—both on and off-campus—as well as accommodate some specific needs of student survivors.

However, universities in DC are constantly changing their policies and the ways they carry out their required investigations, so we have found there is a lot of room for advocacy, and a need for flexibility, in these cases. Pro bono attorneys in the past have played roles anywhere from helping advocate for a student's immediate needs (like class schedule changes) to representing a student throughout an on-campus investigation, hearing/appeals process, submitting complaints with the Department of Justice, and exploring lawsuit options under Title IX. **NOTE: Admission to the DC Bar is required for this type of co-counseling case.

Appeals and Amicus Briefs with DV LEAP

DV LEAP (a project of NVRDC) is a national leader in appellate advocacy on behalf of survivors. In partnership with pro bono law firms, it provides representation for survivors in appeals at the state and federal level, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and support for survivors through amicus briefs. Learn about our appellate work here.