Nina DePalma, Esq.
“Ensuring access to justice for me is using my skills and education to try to ensure that a person’s income or financial status doesn’t preclude them from having things like a safe place to sleep at night, food that nourishes them, healthy and happy relationships, and quality education.”
In the heart of the legal world, where compassion and expertise meet, there's a bright star named Nina DePalma, Esq. who is a guiding light at Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ). In recognition of her achievements and commitment to ensuring access to justice, Nina is VLJ’s August 2023 Defender of Justice.
Nina, a staff attorney in VLJ’s Tenancy Program, also serves as a fellow with the New Jersey Housing Justice Corps. Nina earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology of Law and Society from Moravian University and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School-Newark (class of 2020). During law school, Nina was an editor of the Rutgers Journal for Law and Public Policy, and she had the privilege of addressing her graduating class as their chosen commencement speaker. Nina also won the Sera Ramcharitar Memorial Award at Rutgers Law, which is awarded to the student who excelled in work on behalf of the underprivileged, particularly women, children and families.
During her time at Rutgers Law, Nina's passion for advocating for those historically underserved and silenced led her to found the Newark Housing Rights Coalition. This early display of leadership foreshadowed her drive to not only call out the problems plaguing her neighbors, but to do something about them. Serendipitously, and to VLJ’s benefit, Nina’s journey through law school intertwined with VLJ's mission, seeing her spend some of law school interning at VLJ.
As a staff attorney and Housing Justice Corps fellow, even in spite of joining VLJ during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Nina hit the ground running, tirelessly fighting for tenants to remain safely housed at home. One particular anecdote highlights Nina's determination and “roll up her sleeves” approach: during her very first week at VLJ as a staff attorney, Nina found herself on the Tenancy Hotline helping a client facing eviction from a motel. Not being resigned to letting someone experience homelessness during a pandemic, Nina contacted the local chief of police to sort everything out, ensuring the tenant remained housed. Adaptability became her forte, especially as she put it, “COVID was a strange time to start practicing law because of the rapidly changing legal field, and rapidly changing laws in response to the pandemic. Very ‘learn on your feet’ meets ‘Go, go, go!’”
Being an eviction defense attorney can often feel like you’re strapped to a revolving door going a hundred miles per hour; yet, even with the fast-paced nature of her work, Nina takes time to reflect on the humans whose stories she plays a part in:
“I had a case once that was really strange and very difficult. Right before Thanksgiving 2021, VLJ received a call about an individual and her daughter who received a warrant of removal on their door. They had no idea an eviction case was ever filed. As it turned out, the individual’s partner had fallen behind on the rent, the eviction case was filed, and the partner settled the eviction case but didn’t mention it. Sadly, not long after, the individual’s partner passed away and stopped making payments under the terms of the settlement.
Exacerbating the matter, the individual was not on the lease. VLJ took on the individual as a client, and I filed an order to show cause to argue she was in fact a tenant; an argument I knew wasn’t too strong, but it was worth a try. My argument was rejected, so I pivoted, then arguing that since my client was not a tenant, this matter would need to be an ejectment action. The judge agreed and the original eviction case was dismissed. Unfortunately, soon after, an ejection action was filed and my client later vacated the premises, but not for several months after her original lockout date. During this time, my client was able to have one last Christmas with her daughter in their house, which was her original priority when I met her in November, and she had enough time to make alternate housing plans.
While there are a number of cases without what some may consider a happy ending, a big part of being a public interest attorney is thinking outside of the box and using our imagination to get as much relief as possible for our clients, even if that relief is one last Christmas together at home.”
Nina's power extends beyond her legal expertise. She has a special affinity for policy work and a heart for outreach and community engagement. As Nina would describe it, one of the “perks” of her job involves collaborating with community partners, leading legal clinics, and delivering Know Your Rights presentations to community groups. Building upon her efforts to raise up neighbors and community members, Nina recently wrapped up her first summer semester as an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers Law, teaching future lawyers the ins and outs of New Jersey residential landlord-tenant law. Nina remarked that it was important to her as a professor to make sure students felt comfortable learning and making mistakes (as Nina called it, “The freedom to explore, learn, and grow.”).
For someone who is so invested in others, Nina also takes time to invest in herself. A resilient soul, Nina has taken up gardening as a form of self-care, finding solace and growth in nurturing plants whose fruits feed both her body and soul. Nina also tends to the garden of her mind courtesy of a well-used library card.
Living by the words of Kalu Ndukwe Kalu, "The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.", Nina’s legacy is one of tenacity, kindness, and an unyielding dedication to creating a more just and compassionate world.
To Nina, our August 2023 Defender of Justice, every day brings us gratitude and appreciation for you!
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