The Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association (YULAA) was founded in the summer of 2016 by Yasmin Eriksson ‘19 and Allison Miller ‘19. The two had originally been involved with the Yale Human Rights Undergraduate Action Delegation, but decided that a change in structure, organization, and purpose was necessary. Allie and Yasmin decided that the new organization should not only promote human rights through on-campus advocacy, since many other student-led organizations already serve that purpose. Rather, the organization should connect dedicated, capable Yale students to legal service organizations for mutually beneficial volunteering opportunities.

We are a Dwight Hall member organization dedicated to social justice and the proud winner of the title of Dwight Hall Member Group of the 2017-2018 Academic Year. In our current form as YULAA, we provide an outlet to hundreds of service-minded Yale students who are interested in engaging with the legal system as undergraduate before they pursue advanced degrees or enter the workforce. Our diverse local service opportunities allow for students to work on issues that interest them, whether that be immigration, police accountability, or re-entry of formerly incarcerated individuals. Currently, we have roughly 250 active members.

Our goal is also to serve as an important resource for the New Haven community. Legal service organizations are often understaffed for the amount of work they have. YULAA volunteers do actual legal work, whether that be translating legal documents, writing affidavits for asylum-seekers, or assisting with pardon applications.

Before committing to YULAA, it is important to us that you know both what to expect from YULAA and what YULAA expects from you. We want YULAA to be as fulfilling, rewarding, and meaningful as possible; to achieve that, we have put together some membership requirements for the 2022-2023 academic year. Please feel free to reach out to Taylor, our Internal President, at taylor.dallin@yale.edu and Emily, our Membership Coordinator, at emily.x.zhang@yale.edu if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding the membership requirements outlined below.

If placed into a volunteer site: we expect members to make all shifts and communicate at least 24 hours in advance with Project Leaders if they need to miss a shift for any reason.

If placed into a volunteer site: even if you do not have regular shifts, we expect you to attend project meetings that your Project Leader may schedule as check-ins, trainings, etc.

For all YULAA members: attend initiation, which will be two hours on a weekend at the beginning of the semester. More information on the format to follow.

For all YULAA members: attend two YULAA events per month (advocacy meetings, speaker event, social cohesion event, etc).

We will expect upon reviewing applications that volunteers have read this and can a) commit to the above or b) have communicated with YULAA Board about foreseen concerns in fulfilling the above.

“The most rewarding aspect of being a Project Leader for NHLAA Office Hours was knowing that I and 20 other undergraduates were immersing ourselves in New Haven, giving back to a community that has graciously welcomed Yale students for centuries. Oftentimes, Yale can feel like a bubble and, through the Office Hours Project, volunteers were able to break away from the deadlines to focus on helping our fellow neighbors through their respective immigration procedures. Volunteers work closely with attorneys and clients to foster relationships that are seldom found on campus, all while acquiring skills that will be useful in future legal careers”

- Brenda Cachay, NHLAA Office Hours Project Leader (2019-2020)

“The YULAA community has been my favorite part of my experience as a volunteer. I've been grateful to meet peers and collaborators who are so thoughtful, welcoming, and deeply committed to YULAA's mission. During one of my most fulfilling shifts, I had the opportunity to talk to an administrator at the Troup School, where I volunteered. She proposed many helpful ideas and suggestions to raise awareness of the legal clinic. The experience reminded me that YULAA's efforts depend on the support and guidance of our partner institutions. As a volunteer with YULAA, I learned about the critical work that organizations like the New Haven Legal Assistance Association are doing in the city. NHLAA's services can be invaluable for residents as they navigate family, housing, and immigration law.”

- Avik Sarkar, SBLC volunteer (2019-2020)

“The thing I enjoyed most about being a YULAA volunteer was meeting people in the New Haven community that I wouldn't have had the chance to interact with otherwise. I loved being able to talk to the parents who stopped by the clinic table, even if it was just to exchange a quick "good morning." It definitely made me feel more connected to the community we're living in. The most fulfilling shift I attended was when Reggie Mayo had a vegetable giveaway in the morning during our shift. It was just great to feel like part of a community team where we're all coming together to help each other—be it by providing free vegetables or pro bono legal services!...I learned a lot about how to discuss delicate legal situations during the training with NHLAA. They taught us volunteers how to interact respectfully and professionally with clients, and much of this training wouldn't have been in my "common sense" arsenal. I am grateful that we had this opportunity, as now I feel like I know how to conduct myself properly and give the correct information as a non-lawyer discussing legal situations.”

- Catherine Cerise, SBLC Volunteer (2019-2020)

“I learned about the issues that NHLAA is able to help their clients with—from eviction to immigration related cases. The school-based clinics were one way in which NHLAA works to offer their services to those without access to legal representation, and it was a rewarding experience to speak with one woman with her legal problems as she was relieved to start the process for NHLAA to help her.”

- Sandhya Kumar, SBLC volunteer (2019-2020)

“YULAA allowed me to meaningfully connect with more people than I would have ever been able to do had I not been involved in a YULAA project. Within Yale, I found people who were incredibly passionate, committed to, and eager to help our local community in any way we could. Within the legal aid world, I got to work with lawyers at NHLAA who practiced such an admirable amount of empathy, tenacity, and devotion in their work. Finally, I got the opportunity to meet and learn about the residents whom we share the city with. Hearing their stories, challenges, and hopes for their families was humbling, and inspiring. The intersectionality of experiences that YULAA gives it volunteers offer perspective, growth, and interaction that I have not been able to find anywhere else at Yale.”

- Arya Singh, SBLC Project Leader (2019-2020)

Application forms to volunteer in a project are released every year in early September. The application cycle for the 2022-2023 academic year has now concluded, and results will be announced shortly.