Megan Giske

Northwest Justice Project
Seattle, WA

Meg will be working at Northwest Justice Project, a non-profit organization that promotes access to the justice system for indigent clients who could otherwise be denied a fair opportunity to exercise their rights. As an intern, Meg will be part of the team that provides direct representation in public benefits cases for clients who are facing denial, reductions, and terminations of TANF, Basic Food, Medicaid, and Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) benefits. Additionally, she will be involved in community outreach projects targeted at homeless and at-risk youth, and she will also write, research, and edit self-help advocacy publications that will be used statewide by legal advocates, social services providers, and pro se litigants.

July 2009

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." More and more, I'm finding that my life is starting to reflect this quote from Chariots of Fire. The past ten weeks have revealed my strengths, weaknesses, and passions in the practice of law. I've discovered that I have a knack for working with clients who are disabled, homeless, or in the throes of poverty. My internship has shown me that not only is this what I want to do with my life, but this is what I'm supposed to do. I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me an advocate. And when I advocate for those most in need, I feel His pleasure.

June 2009

My internship at Northwest Justice Project has reminded me why I went to law school in the first place. It's not that I had lost my focus, but after too many hours spent reading cases from time gone by, I had almost forgotten that a world exists wholly apart from the legal academy. This summer has been a wonderful jolt of reality: not only are the legal skills I have learned in the classroom actually useful, but I can use them in a way that truly makes a difference in the lives of my clients. I've used my persuasive writing skills to make sure that mentally disabled clients are given the care they need, and I've used my client counseling skills to walk a nervous teenager through the emancipation process. It's good to know that everything I do has a purpose, and that my work has meaning for those who are at the end of their rope. I'm finally doing what I've wanted to do all along.