Michael Pope

Youth Represent provides criminal and reentry legal representation to young people who have been involved with the justice system who could not otherwise afford an attorney. While everyone is guaranteed a lawyer in criminal court, thousands of low-income New Yorkers face the challenge of navigating complex legal systems on their own due to the consequences that even a minor criminal conviction can bring: being denied school loans, losing their job, or becoming homeless. Ours is a three-pronged approach: we partner with social service organizations across New York; provide direct representation to youth; and advocate to change laws to make it possible for court-involved New Yorkers to reenter society. Each year, thousands of young people cycle through our city’s justice system, and at every step, a new collateral consequence can arise. Arrest charges can be entered incorrectly into a court’s system, resulting in an error on a teen’s rap sheet for years. A missed court appearance for a minor summons ticket can turn into an open warrant. A misdemeanor or felony conviction can prohibit a young person from securing a job, obtaining a vocational license, or finding a place to live. Youth Represent is the only organization in New York whose lawyers address all of these issues for all of their clients—and we do so in the neighborhoods where they live and work. Our clients face so many barriers to success, but through representation, advocacy, and working closely with community-based partners, we ensure they are not defined by their criminal history.