Supervised by Assistant Dean of Experiential Education Robert Lancaster, three LSU Law students—Chelsea Gaudet, Rubenie Stimphil, and Shelby Terrell—assisted three clients win grants of parole at hearings before the Louisiana Parole Board on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
“I will remember and treasure this experience for the rest of my life,” said Terrell, a second-year law student. “While I was being supervised, this was my first ‘client’ experience and the first time for me to use what I’ve learned in law school.”
Students in the Parole Assistance and Re-entry Clinic assist offenders seeking early release from prison through the parole process. They primarily represent prisoners who have served over 25 years, many having been sentenced to life for crimes they committed when they were children.
Terrell said the hands-on experiences offered by the clinic not only provide a welcome break from pouring over legal textbooks, but also reinforce her decision to pursue a career in law.
“We spend our class time talking of previous cases or hypothetical scenarios, but the hands-on experience ignites my passion for advocacy,” she said. “In addition, the Parole Clinic is a program that speaks to me personally because we are providing life-changing services to people serving extensive prison sentences. This work is so inspiring to me because we can provide restoration of hope, freedom, and mercy to those who have been discarded by mainstream society. I am only halfway through with the clinic experience, but after my first hearing before the Louisiana Parole Board, I am ready to do it again.”
