Avery Vinson

The Project

Avery’s project  provided direct civil legal services for older victims of crime in North Central Florida. Additionally, Avery conducted training and outreach on elder abuse and exploitation to the local legal and advocate community.

Avery’s motivation to pursue public interest work stemmed from a desire to help people whom the law often overlooks. Avery heard attorneys say that their motivation to seek public interest work stems from “wanting to give a voice to the voiceless,” but that phrase has always struck her as problematic—all clients have voices; the job of an attorney is simply to amplify them. Avery worked with immigrant children who survived abuse, neglect, gang violence, and state violence and with women who have survived domestic and dating violence. Avery’s Fellowship worked with a new group-the elder community to combat abuse and exploitation and to amplify their legal needs.

Fellowship Plans

Avery provided holistic civil legal services to stop abuse and ameliorate the effects of abuse and exploitation, including securing injunctions and discharging debt incurred due to exploitation. The project also obtained, preserved, and increased public benefits that allow elderly victims of crime to obtain or maintain community-based care.