summer-fellow

Long-Term Care Advocacy

ublawclinics's avatarPosted by

By: Thomas McKenna

This summer, I had the opportunity to work in the Long-Term Care Advocacy Unit at the Center for Elder Law and Justice. This internship was made possible by the fellowship I received from 2023 Blanche Gische and Helen Schurkman Fellowship for Elder Justice and the School of Law Public Interest Fellowship, through University at Buffalo School of Law Summer Public Interest Funding & Fellowship Program.

I entered law school with the goal of finding the career in which I was most needed. Responding to suggestions I received during my 1L year, I interviewed for the Center for Elder Law and Justice (CELJ). Going in, I knew this experience would be invaluable, as CELJ has a variety of units which practice different areas of law. As an intern at CELJ I was encouraged to participate in different unity meetings, observe hearings in both housing and family courts, and attend lunch and learn meetings with CELJ attorneys. I also thoroughly enjoyed working with the eight other interns, the majority of whom worked in other units. Talking with them about their work and experiences helped me learn more about the work in their respective units. CELJ interns were also encouraged to join monthly case review meetings, where we got to participate in discussions about unique and interesting issues within cases from various units.

I also enjoyed my work in my assigned unit. As intern for the Long-Term Care Advocacy Unit, I helped to prepare resources for the ombudsman program, and researched case law, New York Public Health Law, State Supplemental Income, and OAA regulatory changes. These assignments provided new challenges, requiring me to adapt my writing to different audiences, digest and summarize statutory and regulatory complications, and learn how to best sift through hundreds of fillings for pertinent information. I believe this work has made me a more effective writer and a more efficient researcher.

What this internship provided me with was a greater understanding of the available areas in law where I can help people. I am more confident than ever that I will be able to find work that I find meaningful. I also learned what the impact of a welcoming community with shared values has on one’s experience. I look forward to continuing to work with others who are driven to help people.

Again, this internship would not have been possible without the fellowship provided by the Blanche Gische and Helen Schurkman Fellowship for Elder Justice and the School of Law Public Interest Fellowship. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing to learn how to best support my community through public interest law.

Name: Thomas McKenna

Fellowship: 2023 Blanche Gische and Helen Schurkman Fellowship for Elder Justice and the School of Law Public Interest Fellowship

Placement: Center for Elder Law and Justice

Location: Buffalo, NY

One important lesson I have learned from this fellowship: “Legislative protections and governmental programs require legal aid to function. Statutes and regulations created for the benefit of vulnerable populations can not truly be effective without the work of agencies like CELJ, and the funding that supports them.”