Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law

The Housing Justice Project at Seton Hall Law School joined forces with the Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest at Lowenstein Sandler LLP, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, and The Housing Justice Program at Rutgers Law School to issue a report on Unjustified Evictions in New Jersey. The report is based on data collected and analyzed by a statewide coalition of tenant advocates. Based on the findings, eviction judgments or defaults are entered against as many as 29,000 New Jersey tenant families each year in cases where the court lacks jurisdiction. The full report is linked in the article below. Many people contributed to this report, and we would like to acknowledge the following people from the Center for Social Justice: Diane K. Smith and Anne McLane Kassalow as authors, Kayla S. who coordinated the data collection, and the following students who collected data: Stephen Ingersoll, Jessica Shinski, Agnieszka Karkoszka, and Joseph Wagner.

The Lowenstein Center for the Public is proud to collaborate with the Housing Justice Project of the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall University School of Law, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, and the Housing Justice Program at Rutgers Law School in releasing "Unjustified Residential Evictions in New Jersey." This report highlights significant legal deficiencies in eviction complaints, affecting as many as 29,000 tenant families annually, and emphasizes the urgent need for improved court oversight and support for self-represented tenants. Together, we can work towards a more equitable legal system that protects the rights of all residents. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4eWI9Eq Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3C5hVkI #probono #housinglaw #newjersey #humanrights #civilrights #lawfirms

Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law Represents New Jersey Farm Workers in their fight for an equal minimum wage. This vital work highlights the importance of legal advocacy in supporting our communities. https://hubs.li/Q02VHk5r0

Congratulations to Diane K. Smith on receiving the Lifetime Advancement of Pro Bono Service Award from the New Jersey State Bar Association Pro Bono Committee! 🎉 Join us in celebrating Diane and other distinguished award recipients at the Pro Bono Awards Reception on Tuesday, October 29th at 6:00 PM. The event will feature dinner and inspiring remarks from each honoree. There is no fee to register. 📅 Event Details: Date: Tuesday, October 29th Time: 6:00 PM Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick 🔗 Registration: https://lnkd.in/ezjrJXpX If you need help registering, feel free to contact NJSBA Customer Service at customerservice@njsba.com or 732-214-8500.

The CSJ hosted its annual “Pie, Cider, and Pro Bono” event today for students to learn about different pro bono projects and opportunities. Thank you to all the Seton Hall Law students who do pro bono work! This event is part of the National Celebration of Pro Bono, by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Interest. #celebrateprobono

🌟Design Cooperatively🌟 Nothing beats the power of teamwork. To showcase this, clinic students, faculty, and organizers gathered to map stakeholders for Newark’s Iberia redevelopment plan. Our commitment to design in solidarity with movements in New Jersey and beyond allows us to explore unique ways to approach social change through law, design, and shared knowledge.  

On October 16th, Family Law Clinic student, Rebecca P., appeared in Union County Superior Court to represent a CSJ client facing a reduction in her child support award. Rebecca successfully argued a motion in Union County Superior Court. Our client will continue receiving child support and the court ordered payment of back due support. Thank you, Rebecca, for your hard work and dedication!

No break for these two social justice advocates! The Equal Justice Clinic had a busy fall break arguing before the New Jersey Appellate Division Tuesday morning, at Trenton State Prison to prep a client for a parole hearing Tuesday afternoon, and interviewing another client Wednesday for a petition at FCI Fairton. The CSJ thanks 3Ls Emma Taylor and Zachary Murray for their dedication this week and every week!

Hello everyone! We’re the New Jersey Legal Design Lab. We are a part of the Housing Justice Project at Seton Hall Law School’s Center for Social Justice (Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law), and we work closely with our colleagues to complement traditional legal advocacy with creative problem-solving methods. To introduce ourselves, we'd like to share the three main values that motivate our work, starting with... 🌟Design Democratically🌟 At the Lab, we believe in designing with our neighbors, not for them. One of our guiding principles is democratic design that promotes dignity, agency, and collective decision-making. Pictured here is a clinic student, Sameer, and a Co-Lab member and clinic partner, Rhea, brainstorming tools to help Rhea’s neighbors organize their building.

Members of the Housing Justice Project at Seton Hall University School of Law alongside colleagues from Rutgers Law School, were invited to testify before the New Jersey State Legislature’s Assembly Housing Committee concerning the impact of rising rental housing costs across the state. On September 23, 2023, Seton Hall’s Housing Justice Project submitted testimony from Lori Outzs Borgen, Associate Clinical Professor and Director of the Center for Social Justice; Lisa Roe, a 4L Clinical Student in the Health Justice Clinic; and Daniel Joseph Wiley, Community Engagement Consultant with the New Jersey Legal Design Lab.              Professor Borgen highlighted the impact of the Housing Justice Project: “The legal representation provided by the Housing Justice Project enabled most of our clients to keep their homes. Three out of four households – 75% of those who were provided legal representation through the Project in 2023-24 – reported that they were able to maintain stable housing.”              Lisa Roe shared written testimony detailing a recent case handled by the Health Justice Clinic that prevented the tenant from being evicted. She concluded, “programs such as those available at the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law and the housing advocacy clinics at Rutgers are critical to not only assuring that tenants have legal representation to preserve affordable and subsidized housing but also to train law students and the next generation of attorneys to do this important work on behalf of vulnerable tenants.”              Lastly, Daniel Joseph Wiley called for tenant participation in the co-creation of housing policies. He urged the Committee to include tenants' voices in shaping solutions to eviction, habitability issues, and rising living costs, stating, “When tenants face eviction, poor living conditions, or changes to our communities, we are often left to fend for ourselves. We need a new way of creating policy that connects the reality on the ground with the solutions needed.” For news coverage of the Committee's hearing, watch this story from NJ Spotlight News: https://lnkd.in/eTftHZJf