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April 21, 2006
Q. You joined ACLU-CT on January 17th. Have you stopped running yet?
A. No, I’ve been able to take a few rest stops but am still going full-force. There is a lot to do, which is exciting.
Q. Give us a quick overview of some of the litigation now in the works.
A. Well, we have several cases that were pending when I arrived. The case seeking the right to marry by same sex couples is before the Superior Court in New Haven. We also represent a woman seeking membership in a social club that denied her membership because she is a woman. That case is on appeal. The “library case,” Doe v. Gonzales, is on appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Other pending cases include an Establishment Clause challenge to a post office operated by a religious organization; a police misconduct case; and a case involving torture in Abu Ghraib prison. We also continue to monitor consent decrees, including two having to do with mental health care of inmates in state prisons.
We’re also looking at other issues that may result in litigation. For example: the new campaign finance law. Also, compliance by schools with the ‘opt-out’ provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act. Under that law, schools that accept federal money must turn over to the military branches, the names and contact information of their students. However, the law also provides that parents and students may request that their names not be disclosed to the military. We are concerned that some schools are not adequately notifying parents and students of that right or affording them a reasonable opportunity to opt out.
Q. You and one staff attorney can’t possibly handle all those cases! Tell us how we get help from sympathetic attorneys.
A. We actually are fortunate to have the support of many fine attorneys. They handle cases on a pro bono basis and are ready, willing and able to render advice on a moment’s notice. I am thoroughly enjoying meeting and working with them and will expand that pool. I’ve both worked as a pro bono attorney and mentored pro bono attorneys, and have found that busy lawyers are more than willing to assist if the case is interesting and if it has been properly vetted. We, of course, have more than our share of interesting cases and only ask attorneys to assist in cases that have a reasonable chance of success.
Q. One of the pending lawsuits is the “library case,” a challenge to one aspect of the USA Patriot Act that began in Connecticut but was taken up by the national ACLU. Explain to us the relationship. Does the Connecticut affiliate decide independently what to challenge in court? When does national get involved?
A. Yes, we decide which cases to bring in court, but we often work with the national ACLU. It is my understanding that the library group came to us first, and that it was our decision to take the case. But the national ACLU recognized it as a major test of the USA Patriot Act, and we welcomed national’s participation. (The lead lawyer was Ann Beeson, who will be the featured speaker at our June membership meeting.)
That is an example of one way in which we work with the national ACLU. There are several groups and individuals in the national ACLU that specialize in particular subjects including women’s rights, immigrants’ rights, voting rights, prisoners’ rights and national security issues. They are a great resource.
Q. You came to ACLU-CT from a position as the Director of Immigration Counseling at the International Institute of Connecticut in Bridgeport. Is that experience relevant to the challenges facing the ACLU?
A. Absolutely! At the Institute, I provided direct immigration services to immigrants, which allowed me not only to practice immigration law but to learn about the immigrant communities in the state and understand the difficulties they face. I also established relationships with various constituencies, including social service agencies, the Department of Children and Families, and the immigration bar. I also developed and supported pro bono attorneys.
Q. Tell our readers a bit more about yourself.
A. I grew up in East Hartford, graduated from Penney High School. My parents encouraged us go to college outside of the East Coast – they felt it was part of our education to experience different environments. I insisted on obtaining a degree in music and went to Michigan State. After graduation, I spent about a year and a half in San Francisco studying horn and working as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant. On two weeks notice, I went to play in the orchestra in Guadalajara, Mexico where I also played in a jazz band for weddings and parties. My next job was with the Jerusalem Symphony in Israel where I was for about five years. After returning to the United States with my former husband, I went to law school. That was followed by three years of clerking and about eight years at Hughes Hubbard & Reed in New York City. I loved working at the firm – my work was interesting, I liked my clients, and I developed a very active pro bono practice – but it was time to leave New York.
Q. Do you still play the horn occasionally?
A. Well, I try. I stopped playing for six years through law school and clerkships, and only resumed playing after I began working at Hughes Hubbard in New York. Music and law are both very demanding professions. I play a little in various groups and go to chamber music camp every summer at Bennington College. It’s very nerdy.
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