Alumni News | Caitlyn McDaniel mentors interns who share her passion for fighting injustice

Alumna Caitlyn McDaniel found her passion for studying injustice at Ohio University. Now a staff attorney with Southeastern Ohio Legal Services in Athens, she's mentoring undergraduate interns who are also interested in providing legal aid to low-income Ohioans.

Students who join the Access to Justice Internship Program will get to work directly with clients, attorneys and administrative staff at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services to provide low-income Ohioans with legal information and access to justice. They will interview clients about their legal problems, especially housing, assist attorneys with researching and identifying legal problems, and get hands-on experience seeing how a legal nonprofit operates.

"We hope that students who come to work with us will not only learn how to be better advocates for justice in Appalachian Ohio but will also learn about the many ways that our justice system actively works against low-income people," said McDaniel, who earned a B.A. Global Studies - War and Peace from the Center for International Studies in 2015, followed by a J. D. in Law from American University Washington College of Law.

A circuitous path to law school

McDaniel didn't originally see herself as a lawyer when she started college. Like many OHIO students, McDaniel's undergraduate years were an exploration where she found courses that piqued her interest.

"I started out in journalism and, in full honesty, I almost failed out of my first journalism class. It was a really scary moment for me, and it served as a wake-up call that maybe this wasn't the right path for me. I started taking other classes in anthropology and political science, and that's when I truly found my passion—studying injustice in its many forms and trying to envision a more sustainable and equitable society," McDaniel said.

"I switched majors halfway through my sophomore year to Global Studies: War and Peace and started doing a lot better in school and in my personal life. Suddenly, school was exciting and fun. I looked forward to my classes and to my future. It was a great feeling!" added McDaniel, who also minored in political science and anthropology and earned a Certificate in Environmental Studies.

Even then, McDaniel wasn't on a direct path to law school.

"I took a round-about path to law school and legal aid. I didn't let myself truly consider law school while I was in college, because it wasn't something that people in my family had ever done. It wasn't until my senior year, when I went on the Center for Law, Justice and Culture's trip to Northern Ireland, that I realized the law was something I felt passionately about. Even then, it took me two more years to apply and finally take the leap!" she said.

"Larry Hayman really encouraged me through the law school application process. I felt like I was the only one who didn't have a lawyer in my family to lean on for advice and best practices, and Larry really stepped up to support me in a big way," McDaniel said.

"When he didn't brush off my idea to go to law school but took it seriously and gave me tangible next steps, I had a big 'a-ha' moment. If Larry thought I could do it, why not at least try? It's so important to have people in your life who support your dreams and challenge your self-doubt," she said.

Hayman, assistant director and pre-law advisor at the Center for Law, Justice and Culture in the College of Arts and Sciences, is an OHIO alumnus who went on to earn his J.D. and practice law before returning to his alma mater to inspire and mentor a cadre of future lawyers and advocates.

And McDaniel is now a staff attorney with Southeastern Ohio Legal Services in Athens, having previously worked as an Access to Justice Foundation Fellow.

McDaniel and Hayman now work together on the Access to Justice Internship Project, first launched in January 2018, that provides OHIO students an opportunity to intern at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services. Hayman serves as CLJC internship director and McDaniel as the attorney-supervisor of the students.

"In that role, I ran our Tenant Advocacy Project clinics in our service area by providing on-site representation and advice to tenants who were being evicted. Now I have a more general caseload, where I help clients with legal issues including everything from family to housing to education to consumer law," McDaniel said.

Q&A with Caitlyn McDaniel

Q: Who were your favorite professors and how did they make an impact on your life?

A: I had so many great professors, it's hard to narrow them down! Haley Duschinski, Nancy Manring, Loraine McCosker, and many more who are no longer at the University all had such a great impact on my life. Most importantly, staff like Larry Hayman and Cat Cutcher were crucial to shaping my post-college aspirations and goals. Their guidance helped me figure out who I wanted to be post-OHIO and where I saw my career going.

Q: Do you still keep in touch with any of your faculty?  

A: I do! Especially Larry and Lorraine, who are incredible humans and do so much for our community. I consider them friends and colleagues now.

Q:  What was the hardest hill you had to climb (not counting Jeff Hill) at OHIO? And how did you overcome challenges or obstacles in your path?

A: I struggled a lot in the beginning of my time at OHIO with feeling like I didn't have a purpose or a passion. But eventually I got really involved in student groups and organizations like the Student Union, student government, the Sierra Club, and CLJC that introduced me to folks who inspired me to challenge myself and to find my passions. I ended up being a lot more successful and happier when I was surrounded by friends who felt equally as passionate about building just and equitable communities.

Q: What are your favorite OHIO memories?  

A: Traveling abroad to Northern Ireland and Scotland are at the top of the list. So are the exciting moments in class when I learned something new that rally sparked my interest and critical thinking. Most importantly, though, I look back fondly on the people that I met and the friendships that I built: those relationships were the foundation for my career and life after OHIO. I feel like the folks I met OHIO helped to shape me into the person that I am today.

Q: What’s the one thing you would tell a new OHIO student not to miss?

A: Student groups! Whether it's student government, or a cultural group or a language club... meet new people, get outside of your comfort zone and open yourself up to new experiences. Ultimately, you might not remember the name of that one article you had to read for class, but you will remember the people in your classes, dorms and student groups who challenged you to grow and think in different and exciting ways.

Q: What kind of role do students play in serving the community through the Access to Justice Internship Program?

A: Students who join A2J (Access to Justice) will get to work directly with clients, attorneys and administrative staff at legal aid to provide low-income Ohioans with legal information and access to justice. They will interview clients about their legal problems, especially housing, assist attorneys with researching and identifying legal problems, and get hands-on experience seeing how a legal nonprofit operates. We hope that students who come to work with us will not only learn how to be better advocates for justice in Appalachian Ohio but will also learn about the many ways that our justice system actively works against low-income people.

Q: What are some hands-on experiences that Access to Justice provides for students interested in law?  

A: Students will get to interview clients, accompany attorneys to court hearings and procedures, and attend community meetings with staff to learn about how legal aid fits into the bigger picture of justice in Southeast Ohio.

Q: What are some of the students' responsibilities and duties as interns?

A: Students will work scheduled shifts, calling back clients who are seeking legal assistance to understand the facts of the client's case and relay them to the attorney who will be taking the case. Students will not give legal advice, but they will assist with distributing legal information and supporting clients through our intake process. They will also assist attorneys and staff with research projects.

Q: Can you touch on some of your own experience through the program?  

A: This is my first time supervising students, but I've had such a wonderful experience with past A2J interns. They have all been conscientious, attentive individuals who brought a lot of creativity and joy to our office.

Q: What skills would students develop as a part of the program?

I would encourage students to apply to the program if they are interested in direct client services, increasing access to justice in Appalachian Ohio, and/or want experience working in a dynamic legal nonprofit with advocates who work hard for low-income families in Appalachian Ohio.

Students will develop skills providing direct services to clients, researching, and, I hope, they will get a better understanding of their own legal rights as Ohioans.