Partners for Justice
Elia M. currently serves as a Client Advocate at Partners for Justice, providing support at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender's Office since July 2023. Previous experience includes working as a Project Coordinator at a financial start-up, where Elia sorted, compiled, and analyzed data to suggest business improvements. Elia also worked as an Intake Assistant at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, enforcing COVID-19 guidelines. At Cornell University, Elia held multiple leadership roles, including Co-President of the First-Generation Student Union and Haven Student Union, and Co-Chair of the 1vyG conference. Additional experience includes serving as a Research Assistant at both New York University and Cornell Law School, as well as mentoring low-income students at Campbell Hall. Elia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies and English from Cornell University.
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Partners for Justice
Partners for Justice (PFJ) was founded to transform public defense locally and across the United States to ensure that race and wealth no longer determine legal outcomes. This means ensuring that public defenders are equipped to assist clients in accessing supportive community services, secure better legal outcomes both inside and outside the courtroom, and ensure that more people can walk away from the criminal legal system with their rights, life, and future protected. Our flagship program embeds trained non-attorney Client Advocates in public defender offices, immediately expanding their capacity to offer clients wraparound support and fight the enmeshed penalties of arrest. We also help public defenders incorporate holistic approaches into their systems and practice. Since our launch in 2018, PFJ has grown from a two-site pilot to partnering with 12 offices across the country. We have leveraged over $2 million in local governmental support and saved our clients nearly 130 years in jail.