Brittany Bane

The Project

Brittany filled a justice gap in Memphis by providing civil legal services to low-income immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, and educating them about their civil rights.

Despite its large low-income immigrant population, Memphis previously had no programs offering low-cost civil legal services to immigrants. Language needs, lack of awareness of non-citizen’s Constitutional right to access the justice system, and predators who take advantage of immigrants’ fears further blocked meaningful access to the courts. This project helped alleviate those hurdles with direct representation for low-income immigrants on their civil matters and educational workshops on immigrants’ civil legal rights.

Fellowship Highlights

Brittany’s project provided representation to over 135 clients in their civil legal matters including divorces, adoptions, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes, landlord/tenant matters, and consumer disputes. She provided nearly 60 additional individuals with legal advice or referrals. During the Fellowship, Brittany prepared and conducted 14 workshops, outreach events, and educational videos, which reached more than 2,000 people. To expand the reach and impact of her project, Brittany built partnerships and collaborated with nine other nonprofit organizations in the Memphis community. Brittany also facilitated a legal clinic in which volunteer International Paper attorneys and paralegals assisted immigrant clients by preparing documents for their uncontested divorces.

Next Steps

Following her Fellowship, Brittany has stayed on with Community Legal Center as a staff attorney in its Immigrant Justice Program.

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