Rebecca Greening, a student at Northeastern University School of Law, represented the Society for Restorative Justice in accepting the Exemplary Public Service Award at the 2008 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair. Rebecca shares her thoughts on Restorative Justice and winning the award in this guest post.*

Rebecca Greening speaks to lawyers, law students and law school professionals at the Awards Luncheon on Oct. 10.

As a member of The Society for Restorative Justice (SRJ), a Northeastern Law student group, I attended the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair on October 10 to accept the 2008 Equal Justice Works Exemplary Public Service for a Student Project. Needless to say, I was nervous. Speaking in front of a ballroom full of leaders in public interest law as well as students who share a similar passion for public interest was an intimidating proposition. In addition, I had the responsibility of representing seven other extraordinary Northeastern Law students who make up the SRJ.

The project we were honored for is a collaboration of our organization and a local Boston high school, The Social Justice Academy, which focuses on designing and implementing an alternative disciplinary system based in Restorative Justice principles. As I spoke, I looked out at the audience and felt invigorated by being able to speak about Restorative Justice and not feel that it was being received as a fringe concept or radical idea. This feeling was particularly heartwarming because various other SRJ initiatives – such as educating the Northeastern community on Restorative Justice, campaigning for classes in progressive law movements and participating in community circles with formerly incarcerated individuals – has allowed me to discover more about myself and the lawyer I aspire to be.

It is my opinion that progressive law movements like Restorative Justice directly address the multitude of harms that the current traditional system – in both civil and criminal contexts – creates and perpetuates. Restorative Justice taps into the basics of human interaction and utilizes uncomplicated yet effective approaches to resolving conflict. Exposing law students to movements like Restorative Justice allows them to approach their clients in a more holistic fashion and will ultimately produce higher client satisfaction.

Indeed, it was being a member of the Society for Restorative Justice that kept me going during some dark days of 1L when I felt lost in theory and disconnected from how what I was learning related to helping clients. This feeling was no doubt compounded by the fact that I had just completed an advanced undergraduate degree in Social Work at NYU, in which I spent a total of six hundred hours counseling domestic violence survivors at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Restorative Justice provided the bridge between social work and the law that I was looking for and has allowed me to find added meaning in my legal education.  Being part of a group that has been recognized by Equal Justice Works further encourages me to dedicate my career to public interest law.

*The views of guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the views of Equal Justice Works.