Law clinic battles domestic violence abuse By Fabvienen Taylor
JACKSON — It was just the type of case attorney Brandi Brown thought she never wanted to handle: “Family law, dealing with families, children and other issues. Before working here I thought it would be too emotional for me.”
Her client was from Rankin County and her eyes and nose were purple from a beating. A cut onher neck had started to scab over.
“I just talked with her for about 20 minutes before we discussed the legal issues involved,” said Brown.
“In her case no children were involved. But I couldn’t imagine dealing with the healing and stress of that.”
As senior lawyer with the Legal Assistance Clinic at Catholic Charities Domestic Violence Services Center, Brown helped her client secure a divorce from her abuser, who was later sentenced to 25 years in prison.
With further assistance from Catholic Charities, the young woman can now speak before others about her experience and healing.
“It does my heart good to see her now. She’s beautiful and is continuing to heal,” said Brown, who started working at the clinic in 2005.
Prior to coming to Charities, the University of Mississippi Law School graduate clerked a year for a circuit judge. She had also worked, on contract, with some law firms. “But a lot of times with contract work you don’t get to see the end product because you may be working on just a certain part of a case.”
Brown enjoyed her work but one day a Charities ad for an attorney caught her eye.
“It appealed to me,” she said. “I read Charities’ mission statement about Christ’s love, about helping people who couldn’t help themselves. That spoke to me because that was the reason I became a lawyer in the first place, to help people.”
Now when Brown goes to court — two or three times a week — her work runs the gamut from securing protective and restraining orders, child custody, financial and other claims arising from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking in Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties.
The legal clinic also serves battered immigrant women from seven counties — Warren, Pontotoc, Union, Scott, Lauderdale, Copiah and Chickasaw.
Recently the clinic received a $30,000 grant from the Mississippi Bar Association. Brown said it will be used for much needed equipment — new computers, a scanner, and an updated fax machine.
“When I go to court I believe in what I am doing, what I am going to court for. I no longer have those issues about being too emotionally involved. And I get to see the results of my work,” Brown said.
In an office down the hall from Brown is Crystal McLaughlin, the program’s newest attorney. For McLaughlin, family law was the way to go.
Last spring she volunteered at the clinic and from May to September worked as a paralegal.
“I fell in love with the job and with the staff — with Brandi, my supervisor, and LaWonda Jackson, the administrative assistant,” said McLaughlin.
“I’ve always been interested in family law because it makes you feel like you’re making a difference, that what you are doing is important,” she said.
“Some of the ladies who come in here have been terrorized so it’s nice helping them to get out of that situation,” said McLaughlin, who recently passed the Mississippi State Bar.
Effective Oct. 15, McLaughlin, a Mississippi College Law School graduate, was hired as a second attorney for the clinic
“We want zero tolerance for domestic violence in our communities,” said Gwen Bouie-Haynes, program director of the Domestic Violence Services Center at Catholic Charities.
Last year 350 women and children were victims of domestic violence, said Bouie-Haynes.
Bouie-Haynes made the remarks as domestic violence program staff kicked off the observance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a bell ringing and proclamation from the City of Jackson’s mayor’s office at the Jackson Medical Mall.
“We are here today to take a stand against domestic violence, to recognize victims who have died through domestic violence and victims continuing to survive domestic violence,” said Bouie-Haynes.
She encouraged those in attendance to take a stand against domestic violence by contacting their elected officials and coordinating community and church efforts to fight it.
During the ceremony, Polly Dillon, a social worker for the domestic violence center rang a bell for victims. A ceremonial ribbon cutting followed to acknowledge the community’s continuing campaign against domestic violence.
of Mississippi Law School graduate clerked a year for a circuit judge. She had also worked, on contract, with some law firms. “But a lot of times with contract work you don’t get to see the end product because you may be working on just a certain part of a case.”
restraining orders, child custody, financial and other claims arising from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking in Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties.
feel like you’re making a difference, that what you are doing is important,” she said.
