For two young people in California, the news brought joy and immense relief: a judge had agreed to seal their juvenile records.

Both had worked hard to move forward with their lives. Yet their records continued to present potential barriers to employment, education, and stability.

Marian Avila Breach, Equal Justice America's Brian Lewinstein Youth Justice Fellow at the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC), had spent months preparing their cases.

Both petitions were granted.

The victories illustrate the work Marian has undertaken since beginning her two-year fellowship in October 2025, helping young people overcome legal barriers and build more secure futures.

A 2025 graduate of Berkeley Law, Marian works with EBCLC's Education Defense and Justice for Youth (EDJY) team, which seeks to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline.

Her advocacy extends from juvenile court to the classroom.

She has helped young people challenge school discipline, navigate special education proceedings, and protect their right to return to school after detention. She has also worked to expand access to extended foster care benefits for young adults leaving probation, helping them maintain housing, education, and other essential support.

For Marian, successful advocacy means more than resolving a single legal problem. It means helping young people establish the stability and relationships they need to move forward.

Her fellowship has another important dimension: teaching the next generation of public interest lawyers.

As a clinical supervisor at EBCLC, Marian trains Berkeley Law students in education defense, juvenile justice, client interviewing, and holistic advocacy. She emphasizes listening to young clients, respecting their goals, and working alongside social workers and community organizations.

One especially meaningful teaching experience involved a former EDJY client who returned as a community advocate to share his experiences with law students.

Once helped by an earlier Brian Lewinstein Fellow, the young man is now supporting others facing similar challenges. His story demonstrated how persistent advocacy can have an impact extending far beyond an individual case.

That continuity is particularly meaningful for Marian.

Early in her fellowship, she met Felicia Lewinstein, whose son Brian's legacy inspired the creation of the fellowship that supports her work.

Their conversation about the lasting impact of public interest law has stayed with Marian as she represents young clients and prepares future attorneys to do the same.

Marian's work illustrates EJA's dual impact: expanding access to legal assistance today while developing the next generation of lawyers committed to public service.

More than halfway through her fellowship, Marian is already helping young people move beyond difficult chapters in their lives while strengthening the legal advocacy available to those who follow.

We are proud to support Marian and grateful to EBCLC and the Lewinstein family for making this important work possible.

Read Marian's fellowship reports here.