RALEIGH – Campbell Law School Professor Jon Powell ‘98, director of the law school’s Restorative Justice Clinic (RJC), has been recognized by Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) as a recipient of their Pro Bono Hero Awards as part of National Celebration of Pro Bono Week 2024.
LANC launched the Pro Bono Hero Awards last year to recognize extraordinary pro bono service that we hope serves as an inspiring example to the North Carolina legal community, said Sean Driscoll, communications specialist for LANC.
“Specifically, we are honoring you for your service on behalf of our Right to Education Project,” he wrote in a congratulatory email to Powell. “On behalf of everyone at Legal Aid NC, thank you for your service on behalf of our clients and our firm. We are truly grateful for all that you do for us. You really are a Pro Bono Hero!”
According to a LinkedIn post by LANC, Powell “is always ready, willing and able to help and inspire our Right to Education Project.”
Hetali Lodaya is a staff attorney with LANC’s Right to Education Project (REP), which does education justice work across North Carolina.
“We’re honoring Jon for championing restorative justice work across North Carolina and for supporting our clients through restorative practices,” she said in a video posted on LinkedIn. “For over 20 years, Jon has been running the Restorative Justice Clinic, which strives to bring victims and offenders together using restorative practices in an effort to foster collaborative healing rather than punishment. The RJC has an incredible track record of creating spaces for dialogue and communication and healing that significantly reduce the rate at which young people re-encounter the criminal legal system.
“At REP, we truly believe that restorative practices are one of the most sustainable ways that we can support the young people that we serve, and Jon always helps us figure out how to incorporate them into our work. He has made himself available to speak to us regarding creative remedies that we can advocate for, and his Clinic also takes direct referrals in some of our cases,” Lodaya continued.
“I’ve worked with Jon on three different matters, and I can say how much of a difference it makes to the trajectory of those young people to have the RJC involved in supporting them. Jon is one of the few people that we encounter doing this work who shows us the ways in which schools can really adapt and change to better practices and to work to see students in holistic, rather than punitive ways, in addition to stellar case-related advice.
“Jon gives us a lot of hope and a lot of optimism about the direction that this work will take in the future. He always takes our calls, he’s an inspiration and he always gives his time to support the young people of this state. It’s an honor to share about Jon’s work, and we thank you, Jon, for being a pro bono hero.”
Dean Emerita Melissa Essary said in an email about the award, “Congratulations, Jon! Your work has changed so many lives for the better. You inspire all of us!”
The Restorative Justice Clinic is the law school’s oldest pro bono clinic. Campbell Law boasts a rich and storied tradition of developing lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, professional competence and a view of using the practice of law as a calling to serve others. The clinical programs at Campbell Law help students to build upon and practice that calling, and the Restorative Justice Clinic has allowed students to make a tremendous impact in the local community.
The RJC receives referrals from juvenile intake counselors, juvenile court, the local school system and private individuals who have been affected by crime or disruptive behavior.
The RJC strives to bring victims and offenders together using restorative justice practices in an effort to foster collaborative healing, rather than specifically seeking punishment. Campbell Law students engage all involved parties in dialogue to address the specifics of a violation, how it occurred, why it occurred, and what happened as a result. The project aims to discover how people and communities are hurt as a result of crime, and seeks to find the best solution to repair the damage that has been done.
To learn more about the Clinic and Powell’s work, visit this link.