Elizabeth Rodriguez is keeping her community strong. As a Paralegal in our Juvenile Rights Practice’s Bronx office, Elizabeth supports our attorneys and gives a voice to the children we serve.

Elizabeth started as an intern in our Bronx office while still in college. She studied criminal justice and had experience working with troubled youth. Her time as an intern kept her busy; not only did she manage client intake and interviews, she also served as a translator for attorneys and other staff. As a Spanish speaker, Elizabeth is happy to be the first point of contact for a lot of our younger clients. “It’s assuring for them that they can connect with someone who can speak their language and who comes from their own community.” Elizabeth helps our clients feel comfortable and give them the confidence they need as they move through their cases.

I want to make these children as comfortable as possible. It’s assuring that they can connect with someone who speaks their language, and comes from their own community.

After her internship, Elizabeth became a paralegal. Now, she continues to handle her intake and translator duties, while also providing support to attorneys and even coordinating home visits for clients. Through all of her work, Elizabeth puts the client first and tries to be “as accommodating as possible.” For many of the New Yorkers we work with, even these small gestures make a world of difference. Elizabeth loves her work, and her time with The Legal Aid Society has inspired her to apply to law school in hopes of becoming an attorney. From her perspective, there is no doubt as to where she would take her talents after law school: “I would love to be a Legal Aid Attorney.”