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Tomi Robb

  • Hosted by Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services
  • Sponsored by International Paper
  • Service location Nashville , Tennessee
  • Law school University of Tennessee College of Law
  • Issue area Housing - Affordable Housing/Microfinance, Pro se and other legal representation systems
  • Fellowship class year 2021
  • Program Design-Your-Own Fellowship

The Project

Tomi engages in legal design to create an eviction self-help tool kit to include roadmaps, videos, and fillable forms for both counties which have adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act and those which have not, and to hold statewide community clinics to assist self-help tenants facing eviction to know their rights and reduce default judgements.

Tomi’s history of volunteering in prisons and working with justice-involved individuals inspired her to seek out access to justice work. Being born and raised in rural Tennessee also motivated her to pursue opportunities to bring programs and services to under-resourced areas.

Fellowship Highlights to Date

In the first year of the Fellowship, Tomi has:

  • Provided full representation to 12 clients and brief services and/or advice to 80 individuals
  • Acquired $100,000 in Tennessee Housing Development Agency COVID-19 Rental Relief program assistance funds for clients in local counties
  • Represented clients in the rollout collaboration for a pilot eviction prevention program with the L.E.G.A.C.Y. Housing Resource Diversionary Court, the Metropolitan Development Housing Agency, the Metropolitan Action Commission, and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS)
  • Created reasonable accommodation videos regarding service and assistance animals for local government
  • Delivered a community education presentation on COVID-19 rental relief programs statewide, reaching over 250 individuals
  • Presented at the 2021 National Legal Aid & Defender Association Conference in Nashville on the topic of Amplifying Civil Legal Aid through Collaborations and Partnerships
  • Assisted with client calls on the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) Helpline and with resources on the TALS Help4TN website

Next Steps

In the next few months, Tomi plans to:

  • Finalize the digital housing roadmap that incorporates fillable legal forms to assist pro se tenants in eviction prevention
  • Increase reach and functionality of the LAS Reentry application and the consistent availability of expungement services
  • Prepare and deliver a presentation regarding the impact of roadmaps on housing stability legal services at the TALS Equal Justice University Conference
  • Provide direct representation to clients in housing court and landlord negotiations

Media

UT Knoxville Advisory Board Recommends Zero Percent Tuition Increase

Graduate selected to serve public interest law fellowship

As a first-generation college student, I am passionate about seeing families equipped and empowered to rise and develop supportive programming within communities.

Tomi Robb /
2021 Equal Justice Works Fellow

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Christopher Kradle

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Bradley Freedman

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Sponsor: AmeriCorps VISTA, Bread for the City