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USF Law Students Attend Trina Grillo Social Justice Retreat
 USF Law students at the Trina Grillo Social Justice Law Retreat.
Mar. 28, 2008 -- On March 7 and 8, seven USF School of Law students and Erin Dolly, interim assistant dean for student affairs, attended the 10th Annual Trina Grillo Public Interest and Social Justice Law Retreat at the William S. Boyd School of Law in Las Vegas, Nev. Trina Grillo taught at USF from 1986 until her untimely death in 1996.
"Her work spanned areas from alternative dispute resolution to academic support, from teaching methods to the status of women in legal education," said USF Professor Emeritus Stephanie Wildman. "Her work stood for diversity and inclusion, and she never lost sight of the importance of difference in enriching our academic environments."
This year's retreat, titled "Communities Building Social Justice" focused on practical tools to develop and strengthen institutions that promote social justice, especially in regions where social justice infrastructure is less developed. Panelists discussed how attendees might get involved in existing social justice projects, and also explained how to set up a law practice or create a nonprofit organization.
Students appreciated the practical tips on pursuing a career in public interest law, including an explanation of the new law regarding loan forgiveness for public service employees.
"Most of all, I appreciated Luz Herrera's panel discussion," said Erin Park 1L. "Herrera gave an honest account of the struggles she's faced along with the joys she's reaped in starting her own practice. She also gave practical and sound advice about such topics as when the right time to go solo is, how much malpractice insurance will cost, and the importance of hiring a good office manager. But most importantly, she showed us that the seemingly impossible feat of helping poor people while keeping your business afloat is not as daunting as it seems."
The retreat was co-sponsored by the Society of American Law Teachers and a consortium of nine West Coast law schools, including USF.
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