St. John’s Law Students Volunteer to Close the Justice Gap for New Yorkers

On Friday afternoons, Room 116 in the Queens County Civil Courthouse becomes a bridge between classroom learning, community service, and justice in action for a dedicated group of St. John’s Law students. They are there to assist visitors to the CLARO–Queens Consumer Debt Clinic, which the Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc. operates as part of a consortium of Civil Legal Advice and Resource Offices (CLARO) that provide limited legal advice to low-income New Yorkers facing debt collection lawsuits.

The Law School’s involvement with CLARO dates back nearly 20 years, when New York City Civil Courts saw a surge in cases against consumers for nonpayment of loans. Most of those cases were brought by companies that purchased defaulted credit card debt for pennies on the dollar. Often, consumers didn’t know they had been sued until their bank accounts were frozen or their wages garnished due to default judgments. Unable to pay bills or purchase food and medicine, they turned to legal services offices—including St. John’s Law clinics—which couldn’t keep up with the demand. When consumers did make their way to court, they rarely had lawyers. CLARO was formed in response to that unprecedented need.

“CLARO fills a critical justice gap by helping consumers make sense of the lawsuits filed against them, including the debts at issue,” explains Professor Ann Goldweber, Director of the Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic at St. John’s Law. “Professor Gina Calabrese, the Clinic’s Associate Director, and I recognized how closely CLARO’s work aligns with St. John’s Vincentian mission to uplift marginalized and underserved New Yorkers, and we decided to support those efforts by training students to serve as CLARO volunteers.”

Today, the CLARO program operates under the Law School’s DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center, with Professors Calabrese and Goldweber leading student trainings supported by proceeds from the Center’s annual Public Interest Auction. “The CLARO program advances the Center’s mission by preparing students for pro bono service,” says Center Director Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz. “As they learn the foundations of the law in doctrinal classes, they experience how the legal system works in a city where over 1.5 million people live in poverty and many have limited access to affordable representation. Through CLARO, they practice compassion, service, and a commitment to justice by helping consumers who come to court without a lawyer.”

Participating in CLARO has been rewarding for Alicia Skeeter ’27, who first volunteered for the program as a 1L and now serves as its Student Coordinator. “I facilitate student trainings, schedule volunteers for clinic shifts, and work closely with CLARO staff and the DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center to ensure the best outcomes for the consumers and students,” she shares about her leadership role. On Fridays, Skeeter coordinates efforts in Room 116 as students greet clinic visitors, review consent forms with clients, and assist CLARO attorneys.

“CLARO has reinforced that lawyering truly is a practice that we make our own,” says Skeeter. “Observing the attorneys at the clinic has shown me that lawyering styles vary, but authenticity consistently helps clients feel comfortable sharing their stories. Although the CLARO clinic experience is very different from the classroom, I’ve been able to connect the two in a meaningful way by applying concepts from contracts, property, and civil procedure to the challenges consumers face. CLARO grounds the caselaw we read in class in lived experience.”

Skeeter isn’t alone in viewing CLARO as a meaningful learning experience, Professor Calabrese notes. “Our student volunteers become familiar with how courts operate. They build confidence while they navigate courthouse offices, obtain files, and file papers. As they gain practical knowledge and see how empowering legal assistance can be, their enthusiasm for the profession grows, and many are inspired to make pro bono service a part of their professional identities.”

That inspiration resonates deeply with Skeeter. “I’m incredibly grateful for my time with CLARO, first as a 1L volunteer and now as Student Coordinator,” she says. “Each role has deepened my appreciation for the importance of accessible civil legal services and client-centered advocacy. I hope to continue supporting CLARO beyond law school, as this work plays a vital role in helping people navigate an often-overwhelming legal system. I want to be there for them. It’s what lawyers must do.”