Working at the disAbility Law Center of Virginia was both demanding and inspiring. Although I gained some experience in researching politics and public policy in high school, very few of my undergraduate law classes have involved me doing social science/public policy work. This was great work to exercise my statistical skills that I haven’t really used during my degree and to learn more about different stakeholders in the public policy landscape. I learned a great deal about how various institutions can be collaborative, from nonprofits, to law firms offering pro bono services, to different government institutions. 

Furthermore, I have never tackled a research project that was so wide-ranging before, as the prompt I was given from the Center was to broadly see what protections and policies could be found for people with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries against isolation and segregation. Although seemingly simple, focusing on this particular group was sometimes challenging. I often ended up looking more broadly at policies for disabled people in general or even more broadly at the overall policy for all people in a certain setting, like prisons.

It was also emotionally challenging sometimes, as I read real, profoundly sad stories about what some individuals with developmental disabilities face in a variety of settings. In Virginia, there were news reports from some prisoners that they had to get up at 5:30am in order to get any time out of an administratively segregated cell and that sometimes guards would fake giving them food. There was also a particularly tragic story that came out of Virginia, where several prisoners set themselves on fire in order to protest the conditions they were facing. I tried to use the strong emotions felt in response to the reports as motivation to continue and find the best possible solutions. I also learned to mix up my research, switching between news reports and policy papers.

Despite these emotional challenges, I still found the work to be both incredibly interesting and rewarding. I went much broader in my research than I ever have before, as it was not only legal but also political and policy-focused. Adjusting back to the American legal system, rather than the English system I am currently getting my law degree in, was also a difference. Reading cases in American law was sometimes challenging, as I don’t have as much background on specific Acts and cases that are important for disability law. This was such an informative experience, as I got to learn so much about this specific area of law and how many of the mechanisms and rights work.

However, on the policy side, I found the federal system to be particularly helpful, as I was often able to compare policies of different states. For example, I became far more hopeful when it came to changing potential psychiatric hospital settings to eliminate seclusion and restraint, as I saw that Pennsylvania had successfully done so. Although I looked to other countries for a few studies, such as scientific ones on the impacts of seclusion and restraint, I did appreciate the federal system offering a variety of policy sources due to the varied jurisdictions. I also went quite deep in my research, looking beyond news articles or policy paper summaries, going instead into full-length federal and state government reports, among other resources. I was able to use my skills from last summer in researching more primary sources of actual legal code, as I took a deep dive into the Virginia state code and official policy documents regulating things like correctional officers. 

On a more personal note, I also unfortunately struggled with falling sick several times and even broke my foot during my LiA! Although these did slow down my speed of research, I was still so happy to have done so much within six weeks. I hope any other scholar who may be struggling with illness, who just wants to give everything their all, knows that they can still recover and do so much within the six week period, even after a few days out sick! I ended with 90 pages of notes, over a thousand pages of sources read, and a more polished 44 page research summary document that I was able to share and discuss with one of the members of staff. It felt great to know that some of my ideas were novel and highlighted areas of reform that could potentially be suggested or implemented by the Center. After reading about these issues for weeks, I felt a strong connection to them, so knowing that I could potentially make a difference in this pressing area was so rewarding to hear.

My LiA experience has been truly marked by growth and learning, as I was really able to experience a different kind of research and work environment than what I did for my first summer or for my LLB. Although I faced challenges, navigating them certainly pushed me to grow this summer. I also figured out that I am very passionate about public policy, so this has definitely shaped where I want to take my career. I am now considering a focus on the intersection of public policy and the law.