Michael Pope

Hosted by Youth Represent
Sponsored by The Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Service location New York, New York
Law school Brooklyn Law School
Issue area Children/Youth, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, Criminal Justice Reform
Fellowship class year 2010
Program Design Your Own Fellowship

The Project

Michael established the “Community Youth Reentry Project” to provide legal representation for youth while they make the journey from courtroom to community.

Indigent youth reentering society after a criminal conviction face an overwhelming number of legal challenges. They can be suspended from school, evicted from public housing, and discriminated against during employment. With no right to counsel after conviction, they face these challenges alone. Michael’s project provides legal representation for youth during this essential time.

Fellowship Highlights

Michael’s Fellowship project, built through community-based partnerships throughout New York, became the foundation for his organization’s legal services model. Through direct representation and class action litigation, Michael’s project has supported thousands of youth and redistributed millions of dollars to those harmed by criminal record discrimination.

Next Steps

Michael stayed on as Staff Attorney at Youth Represent after the completion of his project. He was promoted to Director of Community Partnerships, Legal Director, and eventually appointed to his current role as Executive Director.