Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic
Family Violence and Women's Rights Clinic in Albany with Director Judith Olin.
In the Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic (FVWRC), students are invited to join the fight towards attaining justice and safety for survivors of family violence.
Serving the unmet needs of local survivors in Western New York, the Family Violence & Women's Right Clinic seeks to fill the gap to ensure victims of violence receive the proper legal representation needed in many areas of the law, including family offense petitions, child support, custody, and visitation cases, and divorce.
- Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic Crossroads Fund (to support the work of our Clinic)
- Women, Children, and Social Justice Awards Fund (in honor of Prof. Suzanne Tomkins '92 & Dr. Catherine Cerulli '92)
- Dr. Isabel S. Marcus Fund for the Domestic Violence Clinic (in memory of Dr. Isabel S. Marcus)
The Family Violence & Women’s Rights Clinic is proudly funded partially by the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and generous donors of the FVWRC.
Judith Olin
Director of Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic
Clinical Legal Education
August 2024 - Interagency Gender-Based Violence Policy Listening Session.
February 2024 - Student Attorneys Elif Ersan, Alexis Ackerson and Tyler Kiblin give a presentation on teen dating violence to high school students at the Buffalo Seminary.
May 2023 - Student attorneys with Assemblymember Karen McMahon are introduced on the legislative floor at the annual Domestic Violence Day of Action in Albany.
April 2023 - Student Attorney Julia Merante explains her research on Erin’s Law at the annual UB Celebration of Student Excellence awards poster presentations.
February 2023 - Student Attorneys Lindsey Pastuszynski, Mykala Pierce and Shelby Majda give a presentation on teen dating violence at the annual Healthy Relationships Summit organized by the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women.
May 2022 - Clinical faculty and student attorneys met with a delegation of officials from Kazakhstan to discuss the work of the FVWRC, and system response to family violence.
April 2022 - The Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic (FVWRC) celebrated its 30th anniversary on April 1, 2022 with a full day conference, entitled “Pearls of Wisdom: 30 Years of UB Law Clinics Confronting Family Violence in Western New York and Beyond.“ Keynote speaker Professor Joan Meier spoke about her groundbreaking study on child custody outcomes in cases involving parental alienation and abuse allegations. Local distinguished judges, attorneys, academics and victim advocates spoke in three panels including working with underrepresented populations who are survivors of family violence. Student attorneys created poster presentations on Clinic projects, and shared their expertise with conference attendees.
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Wednesday, November 13, 2024 - Do-It-Yourself Uncontested Divorce Information Session
Join the University at Buffalo School of Law Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic in partnership with Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. for an event that will inform attendees on how to pursue an uncontested divorce on their own.
Incleded in the event:
- Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. will give a presentation regarding uncontested divorce in New York State and how to pursue an uncontested divorce on your own.
- Staff Attorneys and Student Attorneys from the Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic will provide information and support to attendees.
- Forms required for an uncontested divorce will be provided. Support for completion of forms will be available to attendees during the event.
The event will be held on November 13, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Downtown Central Library - 2nd Floor Collection Gallery Conference Room located at 1 Lafayette Square Buffalo, New York 14203.
To register for the event, email your name and contact information to law-fvwrclinic@buffalo.edu.
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - Domestic Violence Summit
The Domestic Violence Summit occured at Buffalo State University, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 from 8am to 4:30pm in the Campbell Student Union. It featured Panel Discussions and Domestic Violence Experiential Training.
This event was sponsored by Child & Family Services, Buffalo State University Social Work Department, and the University at Buffalo School of Law Family Violence and Women's Rights Clinic.