Jamie Rodriguez Email & Phone Number

St. Louis, Mo, Us

I supervise three teams within the Health & Welfare Unit, all working to increase access to healthcare. I engage in impact litigation in federal court, as well as state-level administrative fair hearings. I also maintain my own caseload, which includes SNAP, ABD Medicaid, HCBS (including CDS), TANF, childcare assistance, and SSI/DIB overpayments.I participate in several advisory groups and task forces, to ensure my clients' unique perspectives and experiences are represented in decision-making spaces. I engage in significant administrative advocacy, including rule-making comments and frequent meetings with state administrative agency staff regarding policy. Special areas of interest and expertise include use of algorithms in HCBS eligibility determinations, access to private duty nursing for medically fragile children, use of call centers in SNAP administration, and imposition of personal tax liability on CDS participants due to vendor error.

Greater St. Louis Area

I engage in direct client representation, administrative advocacy, administrative hearings, and impact litigation. I supervise a staff of two attorneys and two paralegals, and work closely with the Director of Advocacy to identify new opportunities for systemic advocacy.

Greater St. Louis Area

I assisted clients in accessing state-level benefits administered by the Missouri Department of Social Services and federal benefits administered by the Social Security Administration. This work involved significant administrative advocacy, including representation at administrative hearings. My primary focus was SNAP and ABD Medicaid.

Joplin, Missouri Area

During my two-year fellowship I provided direct legal services to low-income victims of the May 22 Joplin tornado. My caseload encompassed domestic law, including divorces, custody modifications, paternity actions, and civil orders of protection; housing law, including subsidized housing (tenant- and project-based Section 8), private landlord/tenant disputes and contract-for-deed cases; probate law, including power of attorney, guardianship, and conservatorship; private contractual disputes, including insurance appeals and disputes with disaster cleaning and restoration companies; and FEMA appeals. I worked closely with local community groups including Rebuild Joplin and the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee, and national organizations including Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and Catholic Charities. We worked together to coordinate community disaster recovery and response efforts. I also engaged in significant outreach to increase community awareness of Legal Aid and to reach disaster victims in need of legal services. I served as a member of the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee's executive board, and I served as chair of the Unmet Needs Committee.Equal Justice Works facilitated two redeployments during my term of service: I spent two weeks assisting with Hurricane Sandy recovery at MFY Legal Services in New York City, and one week assisting with tornado recovery at Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.I also served as a member of the Legal Help in Disasters Committee, which is part of the Missouri Governor's Faith-Based & Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery. I took a leadership role in revising Missouri's Disaster Legal Services Manual, in partnership with SEMA and Legal Services of Southern Missouri.Publication: How Legal Aid of Western Missouri Is Helping the Community Recover from the Joplin Tornado, Clearinghouse Review, June 2013.

Greater Chicago Area

Supervised clinic intake process and law student interns, screened potential clients, and maintained database of client information for funding purposes. I also continued to represent clients in their orders of protection, from initial intake through final court appearance.

Greater Chicago Area

Represented clients in civil orders of protection. Performed screening interviews, explained available remedies to clients, drafted petitions and affidavits for ex parte orders of protection, and prepared clients for court appearance. Represented clients in ex parte hearings before judges in Cook County's Domestic Violence Court. Advised clients on how to best enforce their orders of protection, and explained fundamentals of post-DV safety planning. If necessary, prepared pleadings and represented clients in court for hearings on plenary orders of protection.

Greater Chicago Area

Provided telephone-based advice and referral to low-income Cook County residents in matters of consumer law, family law, and landlord/tenant disputes. The vast majority of hotline calls fielded were successfully resolved by providing clients with very basic legal information, allowing them to advocate for themselves in court.

Greater St. Louis Area

Provided in-court representation for low-income clients in a variety of legal disputes. Prevented illegal public housing eviction of an elderly, low-income client. Successfully appealed wrongful denial of unemployment compensation benefits, preparing necessary documents and representing client in administrative hearing.

Alton, Illinois

Position funded by a Violence Against Women Act Grant. I conducted client interviews, drafted pleadings, and assisted with legal research with a focus on divorces for victims of domestic violence. I also helped staff a walk-in clinic inside the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville, Illinois. At the clinic, I assisted victims in applying for same-day ex parte orders of protection. I also worked with victims to meet their ongoing needs, from helping secure emergency shelter to appearing at the plenary order of protection hearing.

Joplin, Missouri Area

Worked closely with licensed attorneys to assist low-income clients in divorce and custody matters, public housing and benefits denials, and orders of protection.

Greater St. Louis Area

Conducted legal research for faculty members drafting articles for publication.

J.D.

Activities and Societies: Saint Louis University School of Law Public Law Review, Women Law Students' Association, Phi Alpha Delta1843.

B.A., History

Activities and Societies: Alpha Phi Omega, Phi Alpha Theta, Pre-Law Society

History

Semester abroad, January 2006-May 2006.

Education record