“When I returned for my second semester of law school, I was even more perplexed about the situation in New Orleans,” Settlemyer said. “The hurricanes were disaster on top of disaster. Instead of feeling satisfied that I had done my part, I became more fascinated with the issues plaguing the city.” This was the first of many trips to the Gulf
Coast region for Settlemyer. This year, she joined thirtyfive Emory Law students in a spring break trip to New Orleans — not to enjoy the city’s nightlife, but to volunteer their legal services to those affected by the hurricane. The trip was organized by members of the Emory Public Interest Committee (epic), and participating students had the opportunity to earn pro bono hours for their service. Leading this year’s volunteer efforts were co-organizers Alyssa Parsons 10l and Danielle Friedman 10l. The Emory Student Bar Association also assisted by donating money for van rentals and gas to transport the students. “We were amazed by the overwhelming response from Emory Law students eager to spend their spring vacations volunteering in New Orleans,” said Parsons. “We hope this enthusiasm for Emory’s ‘alternative spring break’ continues.” Most student volunteers put in full nine-to-five workdays — visiting fema trailers, assisting in class action lawsuits, and speaking with those affected by the hurricane. The students were divided into five groups, each handling a different legal issue that arose in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “I spent most of my week in jail interviewing men and women who had been arrested, but have not yet been charged,” said Pam Rosen 10l, who volunteered with the Orleans Public Defenders office. “The physical state of the Orleans Parish House of Detention is a testament to the staggering obstacles New Orleans faces, but the work being done by lawyers there is a testament to the dedication of those who are committed to rebuilding the city.” The students’ work was not glamorous, explained
Steve Weyer 10l, who has volunteered in New Orleans twice since starting at Emory Law. “Basically, we drove around all day and for a few hundred miles looking for [fema] trailers,” said Weyer. He was part of a group assigned to search out the remaining trailer parks in
Louisiana and conduct preliminary research in preparation for a group that would be visiting the residents in the coming weeks. According to Weyer, there is still plenty to be done to help the families of New Orleans rebuild their lives. During the trip, he caught up with a family he had first visited in 2007. “The family was glad to see me, though they expressed some unhappiness with the promises of help extended but never fulfilled,” Weyer said. “They told us that the local school still wasn’t operating and that they were having problems getting the rebuilding money they had been promised.” Despite the hardships still facing the region, the efforts
of the student volunteers have not gone unnoticed. “I believe that the most vital and helpful result of our efforts is that the New Orleans community is not being forgotten,” Settlemyer said. Settlemyer, who graduated in May, plans to return to New Orleans to continue the work she began as a student.
“For law students, the city’s struggles with equality and justice remind us why we originally chose to go to law school. We hope for New Orleans’ sake that we are not needed next year, but if we are, we’re always happy to return.” To learn more about the Student Hurricane Network, visit www.studenthurricanenetwork.org. To learn more about the Emory Public Interest Committee, visit www.law.emory.edu/epic.
summer 2008
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