Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association (YULAA)

Mission

The Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association (YULAA) is a Yale College student organization which broadly speaking promotes human rights through legal empowerment on and off campus. Members work with various legal aid organizations and advocacy groups in the greater New Haven area throughout the semester. YULAA also invites speakers to campus who offer direct, practical insight into the criminal justice system, the immigration crisis, and refugee resettlement, among other topics. In addition, YULAA hosts various advocacy events like letter-writing campaigns; membership events such as initiation, study breaks, and movie nights; and pre-law events like our recent LSAT strategy session.

Student Leaders

Jae D’Alessandro – Co-Coordinator/Co-President Sebi Perez – Co-Coordinator/Co-President

Activities

YULAA Service Project Expenses Direct Service YULAA project members participate in various service projects, including everything from legal research to legislative advocacy to translation services, working with nonprofits that support veterans, immigrants, victims of domestic violence, unhoused individuals, and other under-supported communities. YULAA Spring Service Projects Direct Service YULAA has 40+ projects where students are working with nonprofits on a variety of legal aid and policy issues. For example, one of our teams works with the Center for Children’s Advocacy, where students are translating birth certificates and helping pro-bono attorneys with real-time translation in Zoom/Microsoft Teams meetings. Another one of our teams, with the Center for Family Justice, is conducting legal research on the current state and national laws regarding abuse, as well as engaging in policy research and legislative advocacy efforts. Service Projects with Partner Organizations Direct Service The Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association partners with organizations throughout New Haven and the greater New England area. Members work with various legal aid organizations and advocacy groups to promotes human and civil rights through legal empowerment. Civic Engagement Night Advocacy or Activism YULAA is partnering with the Yale College Democrats to host a Civic Engagement Night open to all Yale University students and staff, with numerous community organizations present to advocate for civic participation opportunities and resources. We will have Andrea Hailey, the CEO of Vote.Org, present as our keynote speaker. We will also have student performances to create a lively atmosphere. YULAA Speaker Events Advocacy or Activism YULAA hosts regular speaker events throughout the year in which we invite individuals in areas such as immigration aid, reproductive justice, and voting rights (among many others) to speak to our members about their experiences in the legal field. YULAA Speaker Events (November – December) Advocacy or Activism YULAA hosts regular speaker events throughout the year in which we invite individuals in areas such as immigration aid, reproductive justice, and voting rights (among many others) to speak to our members about their experiences in the legal field. YULAA Speaker Events Advocacy or Activism We invite a variety of speakers across the law and nonprofit space to educate our students about different local nonprofits, and how to pursue careers at the intersection of law, policy, and advocacy. For example, past speakers have included Connecticut Legal Services (CLS) Chairman Jeffrey Plotkin, DOJ Access-to-Justice Director Rachel Rossi, and YLS Professor James Forman. Powerscore LSAT 101 Workshop Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower Yale undergraduate students seeking a career in law by providing resources and study techniques necessary to effectively prepare for the LSAT. We wish to cater Papa Johns Pizza at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $98.37 of funding for catering. YULAA Study Break Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our study break event is to relieve the anxiety YULAA members will be facing during finals week by providing a space for relaxation and community. We hope members will utilize this event as an opportunity to connect with one another and strengthen their undergraduate networks! We hope to provide Papa Johns Pizza to encourage student attendance and ensure students fuel themselves during finals, as students commonly skip meals during times of academic stress. We are asking for $98.37 of funding for pizza. Thank you. End-of-Semester Board Dinner/Turnover Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our end-of-semester board dinner is to foster a sense of community amongst board members by connecting with each other over a delicious dinner at Nice Day Chinese. We further use this to invite incoming board members for the following school year to assist with turnover and answer any questions they have about their new role. We hope you use this as an opportunity to discuss our learnings from the semester and our subsequent vision and goals for the next semester (which events were most popular, which events were exceptionally educational, what could we have done better as a board etc.). We are asking for $160.00 of funding for dinner. YLS Professor Dinner Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower pre-law Yale undergraduate students by organizing a dinner with a Yale Law School professor to share insights on their personal academic and professional journey, advice on opportunities students should seek out to further develop their interests in law, and the challenges and responsibilities associated with their occupation. We feel hosting a dinner as opposed to a traditional speaker event will create a more personal environment, allowing students to feel more comfortable asking the professor questions on their experiences and learnings. We wish to cater Pad Thai Restaurant at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We asking for $63.60 of funding for catering. Thank you. Fiona Doherty Guest Speaker Event Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of this event is for Professor Fiona Doherty, Nathan Baker Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization at Yale Law School, to share her academic and professional journey with students interested in the legal aid field. Specifically, we hope students will learn about Professor Doherty?s experience (challenges, responsibilities, etc.) launching the Criminal Justice Clinic and serving as a Senior Counsel to the NGO Human Rights First. We wish to cater Sushi Mizu at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $48.74 of funding for catering. Thank you. Guest Speaker Event Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower pre-law Yale undergraduate students by bringing in a guest speaker from the community with a legal background. Speakers often share insights on their personal academic and professional journey, advice on opportunities students should seek out to further develop their interests in law, and the challenges and responsibilities associated with their occupation. We wish to cater spring rolls from Sushi Mizu at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are requesting $107.35 in funding for catering. Thank you. YLS Admissions Officer Guest Speaker Event Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of this event is for pre-law Yale Undergraduate students to receive guidance and advice from a Yale Law School admissions officer on what classes, extracurriculars, and internships contribute to a competitive law school application. We hope this speaker event will empower prospective law students to further involve themselves in the legal field and relieve general anxiety surrounding graduate school applications. We wish to cater Pad Thai Restaurant as this event, for it will occur in the afternoon and we want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $63.60 in funding for catering. Thank you. Maureen A. Murphy Guest Speaker Event Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of this event is for Professor Maureen Murphy, Visiting Clinical Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School and an Assistant Public Defender in New Haven for the State of Connecticut?s Division of Public Defender Services, to share her academic and professional journey with students interested in legal aid. Specifically, we hope students will learn about Professor Murphy?s experience supporting indigent criminal defendants and how pre-law students may get involved in the criminal justice field. We wish to cater House of Naan at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $127.62 in funding for catering. Thank you. IRIS Guest Speaker Event Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower pre-law Yale undergraduate students by bringing in a guest speaker from the Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) community organization. Our guest speaker will likely share their academic and professional journey, advice on opportunities students should seek out to further develop their interests in law, and what a legal career in the non-profit sector looks like- specifically at IRIS. We wish to cater gyoza from Sushi Mizu at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $107.35 in funding for catering. Thank you. Guest Speaker Event Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower pre-law Yale undergraduate students by bringing in a guest speaker from the community with a legal background. Speakers often share insights on their personal academic and professional journey, advice on opportunities students should seek out to further develop their interests in law, and the challenges and responsibilities associated with their occupation. We wish to cater Papa Johns Pizza at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $98.37 in funding for pizza. Thank you. Stephen Thomas Poellot / International Refugee Assistance Project at the Yale Law School Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower pre-law Yale undergraduate students by bringing in Stephen Thomas Poellot, founding member of the International Refugee Assistance Project at Yale Law School. The IRAP is a global legal aid organization working to empower refugees and all individuals seeking safety. Professor Poellot will likely share his academic and professional journey in the legal field, his inspiration for launching IRAP, the mission of and opportunities for involvement at IRAP, and general advice for students interested in international refugee law. We wish to cater Pad Thai Restaurant at this event, for it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $63.60 in funding for catering. Thank you. Outreach Endeavors – General Club Expenses Social/Cultural/Team-Building We utilize our mail-chimp subscription and website extensively to support our outreach efforts on a weekly basis. We frequently send out newsletters to share opportunities for students to engage in the legal field both on-campus (information on upcoming meetings, future guest speakers) and off-campus (summer internships, community events). We also employ our website to share the activities, partnerships, and goals of YULAA with prospective members. We are asking for $348 in funding to cover these expenses ($160 for a four month Mail-chimp Subscription and $188 for semester-long website fees). Thank you. YLS Mass Incarceration Clinic Social/Cultural/Team-Building The purpose of our workshop is to empower Yale undergraduate students seeking a career in law, specifically in the field of criminal justice, by promoting a YLS Mass Incarceration Clinic. Students will learn about the legal, social, and policy causes of the proliferation of America?s prison body and discuss alternative justice solutions. We wish to cater Papa Johns Pizza at this event as it will occur in the afternoon and want to encourage Yalies to attend without missing dinner. We are asking for $98.37 in funding for catering.

How Others Get Involved

There are many ways to get involve with YULAA! Please join our mailing list through link tree! https://linktr.ee/YULAA You can find us on instagram @yale_yulaa or at our website https://www.yulaa-students.org/ And feel free to reach out to our presidents Jae D’Alessandro (jae.dalessandro@yale.edu) and Sebas Perez (sebastian.perez@yale.edu)