In my former role as an attorney I used to represent employers regarding workplace issues (discrimination, workplace safety, etc.). In 2009, I started volunteering for a legal aid agency helping individuals with a criminal record overcome barriers to employment or obtaining a professional license. In 2012, I launched A Bridge Forward to work with this population full time. Today, it is estimated that one-third of the U.S. population has an arrest record. A 2017 survey found that 93% of employers perform criminal background checks before hiring someone. With the U.S. unemployment rate at an 18-year low, if an employer wants to hire the best candidate for the job it can ill afford disregard one-third of the population. There many reasons why someone gets entangled in the criminal justice system. Some of the most common reasons include: substance abuse, untreated mental illness, being a person of color, a contentious divorce, or just being young and stupid. Statistics show that most crimes are committed between the ages of 15 and 21. Most people stop committing crimes by their 25th birthday. Fifteen percent of the population is responsible for 100% of the crimes committed.
Listed skills include Employment Law, Appeals, Legal Writing, Hearings, and 22 others.
