University of Houston Law Center student Gavriella Roisman
June 18, 2019 - With a career in juvenile advocacy in mind, University of Houston Law Center student Gavriella Roisman wants to do her part to reform the juvenile justice system. She said ineffective measures and a lack of consideration for the voices of children in the legal system are problems that must be addressed.
“I believe that children need optimal legal representation, anything less cannot even be adequate,” Roisman said. “Children in the legal system are at greater risk for emotional, educational, psychological, and familial issues and crises.
“By providing optimal legal representation to children, we can help them navigate informatively and conscientiously. Kids grow up to be adults and, by default, members of our community. An investment in them is an investment in greater communities overall.”
Roisman, who will graduate from the Law Center in 2020, will put her passion to good use working with the Center for Children Law, & Policy as a public interest fellow this summer.
“Ever since my first Juvenile Law class in 2018, I have wanted to find ways to work with kids in a law-related capacity,” Roisman said. “The Center for Children, Law, & Policy is a perfect synthesis of working on a multi-faceted approach towards working with kids and the law.”
Among other responsibilities, Roisman will look to expand the Law Center’s Street Law program, which is entering its fifth year of operation. She will also assist with designing training materials for juvenile defense attorneys and coordinate with the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department Board to design programs that keep children out of incarceration.
“Currently I am helping with the 18th Annual Zealous Advocacy Conference which provides a juvenile training immersion program for juvenile defense attorneys," she said. "I will also work with a Fifth Ward group to launch a community program designed to keep youth out of the juvenile and criminal justice system."
Roisman feels that her time with the Center for Children, Law, & Policy will expose her to relevant aspects of her anticipated field and strengthen her job prospects after law school.
“My hope would be that both my experiences with the center and the connections I forge through those experiences allow me professional opportunities after I graduate,” she said.
While at the Law Center, Professor Ellen Marrus, the Royce Till Professor of Law and director of the Center for Children, Law & Policy continually inspires Roisman.
“Any time I can spend learning with Professor Marrus is time well spent,” she said. “Her meticulous understanding, compassion, and ability to communicate to any group is remarkable.”
Marrus said that Roisman’s interest in juvenile law makes her a great fit with the Center for Children, Law, & Policy.
“It is exciting to have a law student working in the Center that has Gavriella’s passion for the rights of children, her excellent research skills, her analytical abilities, and her strong work ethic,” Marrus said. “Her work through the fellowship will help strengthen her skills to advocate on behalf of children, and particularly children of color.
“Children need strong advocates as their voices are not always listened to, and I have no doubt Gavriella will be one of those advocates. She listens to youth, understands the struggles they are going through and wants to make sure their rights are protected. Simply put – she gets it and makes sure other people do too.”
