This summer, Equal Justice America Fellows Zachary Solles and Kailey Crites, both students at West Virginia University College of Law, spent their summers with Legal Aid of West Virginia, helping provide civil legal assistance to people across the state.

Zachary worked with survivors of abuse and neglect, families facing eviction, and tenants living in unsafe housing. After receiving Rule 10 certification from the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, he was able to help handle a client’s case from beginning to end, including interviewing the client, drafting court documents, and arguing before a circuit judge.

Kailey worked directly with clients on family and custody matters, helped attorneys with legal research and drafting, and created a public-facing guide to help West Virginians navigate the process of reinstating their driver’s licenses. She also participated in outreach across four counties, helping connect communities with information about available legal services.

None of this would have happened without partnership.

The West Virginia Bar Foundation provided $10,000 toward the $13,000 cost of these two Fellowships, with EJA contributing the remaining $3,000.

That investment created impact in two directions: more capacity for Legal Aid of West Virginia to serve people who needed help this summer, and two future lawyers gaining the kind of hands-on public-interest experience that can shape a career.

We are deeply grateful to the West Virginia Bar Foundation for partnering with EJA to expand access to justice in West Virginia.