New year, new law school semester, which means a new intern! VLJ welcomes Elias Bull as an intern assigned to VLJ’s Tenancy Program. A graduate of Rutgers – New Brunswick (2016) with a BS in mechanical engineering, Elias is currently a 2L at Rutgers Law – Newark.
Elias comes to VLJ hoping to gain experience with and insight into New Jersey’s eviction crisis as well as the many issues that tenants face, especially those that raise the risk of housing instability. Fortunately for VLJ, Elias spent last summer interning with Brooklyn Legal Services Corp. A on anti-eviction work; Elias found his summer internship to be quite interesting and eye opening as the COVID-19 related anti-eviction moratoriums were ending. Adding to Elias’s powerhouse skill set, he is on the law review at Rutgers and is a student member of the National Lawyers Guild.
As a native New Jerseyan, Elias is invested in making New Jersey a more just place to live and work. Elias has lived in Newark for five years, furthering his desire to help his neighbors and fellow community members. While Elias is neck deep in law school and his internship, he has an eye toward life after law school. Elias isn’t sure on the how or what, but he wants to pursue public interest work with an interest in impact litigation.
VLJ is excited to have Elias with us this semester! Between his time on VLJ’s Tenancy Hotline, legal research, and client intake, we hope his time at VLJ furthers his interest in supporting and protecting tenants, which will go hand in hand with his definition of ensuring access to justice:
“Access to justice means levelling the playing field. It means shifting power to people to be able to solve their problems, problems that keep them from living the stable, fulfilling lives that they should be living.”
Again, welcome, Elias! We are glad you’re here and look forward to a semester of service, of growth, and of ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty.