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Benjamin Shapiro: Co-President, George Washington University Law Schools Street Law Organization, Washington, DC
[By Charisse Dengler] Currently interning at the Childrens Law Center in Washington, DC, Benjamin Shapiro is going into his 2L year at George Washington University (GWU) Law School. Shapiro, who attends classes in the evenings, said he decided to become a lawyer because he feels that it is the best way to make a difference.
I have always been interested in social change; but as an undergrad, I never seriously considered a career in the law, he said. During my final semester at the University of Maryland, however, I interned in the education policy office of Senator Edward Kennedy; and surrounded by lawyers, I realized the impact that a legal education could have on ones ability to affect public policy. I gained a greater appreciation for the laws impact on society and wanted to be a part of that process of social and legal development. Shapiro first heard about the Childrens Law Center while working with the D.C. child advocacy community, and he is currently interning in the department that represents abused and neglected children. Working here has been an incredible experience, he said. I have developed a variety of lawyering skills, but what has been the most meaningful to me is the client contact. So much of what I have learned is not taught in law school, because so much of legal practice is situational and determined by the facts of the case, he said. Law school has taught me how to anticipate certain situations, but this internship has shown me how to respond when you are actually faced with real-life cases. Shapiro, who hasnt decided what area of law he wants to specialize in, is also Co-President of GWU Law Schools Street Law organization. Street Law is a student Shapiro said the organization caught his eye on the very first day of law school. He started out in the group by volunteering as a Street Law teacher, teaching courses at a public junior high school. He then became a member of some of the Street Law committees, including the Education Committee. Being a part of this particular committee allowed him to have a hand in creating new courses for the law students to teach each week in the public schools. So far, Shapiros favorite moments in law school have been hanging out with his fellow Classroom debate is not merely an isolated discussion of distant concepts; it is an exploration of a reality that as future lawyers we will help shape, he said. In regard to his courses, Shapiro is enjoying the study of law and appreciates the way in which the law is always changing but is continuously relevant to everyday life. As co-president, Shapiro (along with 3L Tiffany Joslyn) deals with the organizations student board, serves as the liaison between the organization and the law school, works with the various public schools that the organization partners with, and trains law students to be Street Law teachers and coaches. [Sarah] has been a voice of reason and has kept me grounded on what is really important, he said. Street Law is practical, participatory education about the law, Shapiro said. Our efforts support legal literacy and foster positive youth development. Participants teach law-related lessons to secondary school students in D.C. public schools and gain valuable insights and experience in the process. By participating in Street Law, law students increase legal knowledge and lawyering skills, develop new perspectives, and enrich their law school experience. I have grown to appreciate my influences outside of law school the farther I have progressed through law school, he said. It is easy to get carried away and overwhelmed with all of the work and opportunities that law school presents. It is easy to lose track of why you decided to come to law school in the first place. However, as its often easy to become completely immersed in law school and law school activities and forget about the rest of the world, Shapiro is thankful for his wife, Sarah, and her ability to keep him focused. organization that goes into public schools and teaches the students about the law. GWUs organization also prepares the students for competition in a mock legislature and mock trial event. Separate from the Street Law student organization, I became involved with GW faculty working with Street Law, Inc.the international Street Law organizationas a Street Law Fellow, where I received training and taught lessons to D.C. youth transitioning out of the foster care system, he said.

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law students after finals, talking about the semester and how they made it through. When it comes to life after law school, Shapiro said he is looking forward to taking on his own cases and having his own clients. I am excited for the opportunity to make my own unique impact on the legal community, he said.

ON THE NET Childrens Law Center www.childrenslawcenter.org University of Maryland www.umd.edu Street Law www.streetlaw.org

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