Profiles of Recent Barton Clinic Students

Fall 2007: Catherine Brandt * Erica Jackson * Shehzad Roopani * Richard Vigneault * Janine Willis * Meredith Zachary
Spring 2006: Rachel Davidson * Turquoise Haskin * Jacqueline Hayley * Jessica Lam * Montoya McGee * Erica Mitchell
Fall 2005: Rachel Davidson * Jacqueline Hayley * Syed Adnan Hussain * Agnes Jordan * Carine Rosalia-Marion * Montoya McGee * Holley Strawn * Shomari Wade 
Staff Profiles * Jobs * Recent SJDC & Work Study Student Profiles * Former Staff * Former Students

---

Fall 2007 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:

L-R: Meredith Zachary, Shehzad Roopani, Janine Willis, Richard Vigneault, Catherine Brandt, and Erica Jackson.

---

• Catherine Brandt
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2008

  Catherine Brandt is a third year student at the Emory School of Law. She became interested in law as it relates to juveniles during the 2006 Summer when she was an intern for the DeKalb County Public Defender's Juvenile Division. During this internship, she noted the frightening state of the public school system and decided to focus her attention on education reform. She worked with attorneys representing the Consortium for Adequate School Funding in Georgia on a class action lawsuit against the State, seeking adequate funding for Georgia's public schools. She has joined the clinic to learn more about the Georgia's legislative process and the role of lobbyists and advocates in effectuating policy change.

• Erica Jackson
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2009

  Erica Jackson is a second year student at Emory School of Law. Her interest in children stems from her parents who are both public school teachers. Ms. Jackson's work in child advocacy began in college, where she tutored local elementary school students and served as the student coordinator of College Bound, a volunteer program that encourages 4-6th graders to pursue higher education. After college, she volunteered extensively with Junior Achievement in Charlotte, NC. Ms. Jackson also interned with Families USA in Washington, DC and Connecticut Voices for Children in New Haven, Connecticut. In both positions, she focused on access to health care issues for vulnerable populations.

  Ms. Jackson received her B.A. in Public Policy and a Certificate in Health Policy from Duke University and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Administration from Yale University.

• Shehzad F. Roopani
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2009

  Shehzad comes to the Barton Clinic because of his passion for having Children's rights heard within the legislative process. He developed an interest for the rights of children while working through a camp for youth aged 13-17. Through the camp, Shehzad realized many children were not able to express themselves in ways adults would understand. On the policy side, it is even worse. Since children obviously can't be an active party in politics, they need groups like the Barton clinic to advocate for their interests. Shehzad wants to be a part of such advocacy.

  Shehzad holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies from The University of Texas at Austin.

• Richard Vigneault
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2009

  Richard Vigneault is a second year student at the Emory School of Law. Mr. Vigneault first considered a career in child welfare while taking a course in Child Psychopathology at Emory College. During his studies he learned of the profound vulnerability of children and developed the sense of urgency that led him to apply to both law school and the Barton Clinic. He has joined the clinic in order to learn how to use the legislative process to transmute concern for children into effective, progressive policy.

  Mr. Vigneault has a B.A. in Psychology from Emory University.

• Janine Willis
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2009

  Janine is in her second year at Emory School of Law and obtained her undergraduate degree in psychology at Princeton University in 2005. Having worked with children throughout her high school and college careers, Janine looks to the clinic to provide a nexus between her love for working with kids and her evolving legal education. Janine is committed to a profession of service and spurring necessary change. Her work at the clinic will be her first experience grappling with policy and legislative issues and is a challenge she readily welcomes.

• Meredith Zachary
  Georgia State University, M.S.W., expected 2008

  Meredith Zachary is in her final year of a Masters in Social Work from Georgia State University. The MSW program is concentrated within the context of Community Partnerships. Ms. Zachary's professional and personal focus is within the realms of child welfare and responsible child legislation, as well as social justice and legislative equality for the GLBTQ community. During her undergraduate work, she worked and published under the auspices of the late Dr. James Dabbs of GSU's Social Psychology Department and individually managed research teams of participants and fellow research assistants in clinical studies of the social effects of Testosterone. As part of her academic career, Ms. Zachary has worked as a children's activities coordinator at the Women's Resource Center, a Victim's Advocate in the Domestic Violence Unit of the Dekalb County Solicitor General's Office, an intern at private adoption and foster agency, and is all but sworn in as a Dekalb CASA.

  Ms. Zachary received her B.A. in Community Psychology with Minor in African American Studies from Georgia State University in 2003.

---

Spring 2006 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:

L-R: Erica Mitchell, Rachel Davidson, Jessica Lam, Turquoise Haskin, Montoya McGee, Jacqueline Haley

---

• Rachel Davidson
  Stetson University College of Law, JD/MBA 2006

  Rachel Davidson is a visiting student at Emory School of Law from Stetson College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rachel has worked with children throughout high school and college. Currently, she is volunteering with the Dekalb County Child Advocacy Center. In the past, she has interned at both the Pinellas County School Board Attorney¿s Office and the Fulton County School Board. She returns to the Clinic to continue working on behalf of children and issues that affect them.

  Ms. Davidson graduated with her B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Florida.

• Turquoise Haskin
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2006

  Turquoise Haskin is a third year law student. Ms. Haskin¿s interest in serving as a Barton clinical intern was sparked when she took a Child Advocacy course taught by Professor Karen Worthington and Representative Mary Margaret Oliver. In the course, she had the opportunity to track the developments of the Kenny A. case, participate in a legislative drafting exercise and conduct an oral argument. Ms. Haskin also gained written and oral advocacy experience at the ACLU of Georgia as a semester intern working on 42 U.S.C. § 1983 actions and securing affidavits from individuals affected by the Georgia Photo I.D. law, which resulted in its injunction. Ms. Haskin will apply her analytical and advocacy skills during the course of the 2006 Georgia General Assembly session by tracking bills that will affect the course of child welfare in Georgia.

  Ms. Haskin graduated from New York University Stern School of Business in May 2003, with a B.S. in Marketing.

• Jacqueline Hayley
  Georgia State University, M.S.W., expected 2006
  University of Illinois, B.A. Communication, 2001

  Jacqueline Hayley comes from the Masters in Social Work program at Georgia State University, where she is concentrating her studies on community partnerships and child welfare. Ms. Hayley has diverse experience in research and policy involving child welfare. Her interests in this area grew out of her work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Fulton County and as an intern with DeKalb County DFCS.

  She is interning at the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic both to participate in the improvement of the child welfare system in Georgia, and to broaden her knowledge and experience regarding child welfare reform policy.

• Jessica Lam
  Emory University School of Public Health, MPH 2006

  Jessica Lam is a student at Emory University¿s Rollins School of Public Health where she is earning a Masters in Public Health in the department of Health Policy and Management. Last spring, Jessica took a Public Health Law course at the School of Public Health, which spurred her interest in the intersection of public health and law. In this course, the reading of the DeShaney case spurred on Jessica¿s interest in child welfare issues. Jessica has conducted research on state child health insurance programs (S-CHIPs) and worked at the Task Force for Child Survival and Development in Decatur this past summer. Jessica joined the Barton Clinic this semester to become more familiar with child advocacy and welfare issues as they pertain to public health and to learn more about Georgia¿s political and legislative process.

  Ms. Lam has a B.A. in Biology from Cornell University and is expected to graduate from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory in May 2006.

• Montoya McGee
  Emory School of Law, J.D. 2006

  Ms. McGee¿s interest in child advocacy began in her undergraduate career at Dillard University. There she was involved in the Upward Bound program, tutoring and mentoring local high school students. Ms. McGee was greatly affected by the issues that these young adult were facing. In response, she came to Emory Law School to pursue her dream of becoming a Juvenile Court Judge. Last summer, through the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program, she worked at the DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center. Ms. McGee was inspired by her time there and decided to join the Clinic to learn more about the policy aspect of juvenile law.

• Erica Mitchell
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2006

  Erica Mitchell is a third year student at the Emory School of Law. She became interested in issues relating to the welfare of children during the Summer of 2003 when she was an intern for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. During this internship, she performed research to be used in the publication of a journal article on juvenile justice and child prostitution. She has joined the clinic to learn more about the legislative process and the role of advocates in effectuating changes in policy.

  Ms. Mitchell has a B.A. in Journalism from Georgia State University.

---

Fall 2005 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:

L-R: Shomari Wade, Adnan Hussain, Carine Rosalie-Marion, Jackie Hayley, Rachel Davidson, Montoya McGee, Holley Strawn, Agnes Jordan

---

• Rachel Davidson
  Stetson University College of Law, JD/MBA 2006

  Rachel Davidson is a visiting student at Emory School of Law from Stetson College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. During college, she worked with 'at-risk' kids as a mentor and through Junior Achievement, and she has recently interned at the Pinellas County School Board Attorney's Office and the Fulton County School Board. She joins the Clinic in hopes of having a more direct impact on the lives of children in foster care and further her hopes of working for children. She graduated with her B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Florida.

• Jacqueline Hayley
  Georgia State University, M.S.W. 2006

  Jacqueline Hayley comes from the Masters in Social Work program at Georgia State University, where she is concentrating her studies on community partnerships and child welfare. Ms. Hayley has diverse experience in research and policy involving child welfare. Her interests in this area grew out of her work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Fulton County and as an intern with DeKalb County DFCS. She is interning at the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic both to participate in the improvement of the child welfare system in Georgia, and to broaden her knowledge and experience regarding child welfare reform policy.

• Syed Adnan Hussain
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2007
  Candler School of Theology, MTS 2007

  Adnan is a student at the Emory School of Law and is simultaneously getting his Masters in Theological Studies from Candler School of Theology. He has a B.A. in History and Religious Studies with a minor in Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal Canada. Adnan's interest in child welfare began in high school were he tutored inner city children from Newark NJ. Adnan's interest in the legislative process began during his work with the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), where he represented the KHRC at drafting meetings for human rights sensitive legislation. He comes to the Barton clinic due to a desire to gain firsthand experience about the legislative process and to work in a research based organization for positive change.

• Agnes Jordan
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2006

  Agnes became interested in child advocacy when enrolled in college throughout volunteer projects. She volunteered with middle school students in the Philadelphia public schools, and also tutored English to recent immigrants who had the goal of becoming United States citizens. Before coming to law school she volunteered with the Juvenile Court in Ohio. Ms. Jordan also worked in the Superior Court of California working on deprivation, dependency, and truancy matters.

  Ms. Jordan holds a bachelors degree in psychology from Temple University. She is currently a 3L at Emory Law School and is expected to graduate in 2006.

• Syed Adnan Hussain
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2007
  Candler School of Theology, MTS 2007

  Adnan Hussain is a student at the Emory School of Law and is simultaneously getting his Masters in Theological Studies from Candler School of Theology. His interest in child welfare began in high school were he tutored inner city children from Newark, NJ. His interest in the legislative process began during his work with the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), where he represented the KHRC at drafting meetings for human rights sensitive legislation. Mr. Hussain comes to the Barton clinic due to a desire to gain firsthand experience about the legislative process and to work in a research based organization for positive change.

  Mr. Hussain has a B.A. in History and Religious Studies with a minor in Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

• Carine Rosalia-Marion
  Tulane University School of Law, JD 2006

  Carine Rosalia-Marion developed an interest for the rights of children while completing a dissertation with Professor Mansell on "The Role of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in Raising the Rights of the Child, Combining Protection with autonomy" at the Kent Law School in Canterbury, England. She then had the opportunity to intern for the Adoption Department of the Conseil Général de l'Isère in France, which led her to start pursuing a career in the field of adoptions. After leaving New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Carine was accepted as a visiting student at Emory School of Law, and was delighted to join the Barton Clinic to participate in advocating for child welfare laws.

  Carine Rosalia-Marion received her Maîtrise de Droit Privé (Fourth Year Law Degree) at the University of Grenoble Law School in September 2004 and received her Diploma in English Law in May 2004.

• Montoya McGee
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2006

  Ms. McGee's interest in child advocacy began in her undergraduate career at Dillard University. There she was involved in the Upward Bound program, tutoring and mentoring local high school students. Ms. McGee was greatly affected by the issues that these young adult were facing. In response, she came to Emory Law School to pursue her dream of becoming a Juvenile Court Judge. Last summer, through the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program, she worked at the DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center. Ms. McGee was inspired by her time there and decided to join the Clinic to learn more about the policy aspect of juvenile law.

• Holley Strawn
  Emory University School of Law, JD 2006

  Holley Strawn is a student at Emory University School of Law. Her interest in child advocacy began in high school when she tutored children from low-income areas. Since then, she has remained interested in policies affecting children and has continued to volunteer with organizations serving children. Ms. Strawn worked in the Georgia General Assembly during the 2001 legislative session where she became interested in policy making at the state level. She joined the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic to learn more about the child welfare laws and programs that affect Georgia's youth.

  Ms. Strawn has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Georgia.

• Shomari Wade
  Tulane University School of Law, JD 2006

  Shomari Wade has always had an active interest in advocacy and public interest. While in high school, he received a certificate of appreciation from the mayor of Chesapeake, Virginia for his volunteer work with the local children's hospital. In college, he was heavily involved in public policy. During his junior year, he was awarded a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellowship, which allowed him to intern at the Children's Defense Fund. Also, while in college, he spent a summer in Guyana, South America where he was first exposed to international public interest work. During his first and second year at Tulane Law School, he volunteered once a week tutoring second and third graders at Lafayette Elementary in New Orleans.

  Mr. Wade received his B.A. in History from Howard University. He is a third year law student at Tulane University and currently enrolled at Emory Law School for the semester.

---

Home ^. About ^. News ^. Activities ^. Resources
The Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic, info@ChildWelfare.net
Emory University School of Law, Gambrell Hall, Atlanta, GA 30322, (404) 727-6664.