“There is much more to a human being than what is on their record.”
– Crispin Birnbaum, Access to Justice Fellow & CORI Clinic Mentor
Today we’re celebrating our 100th CORI Sealing & Expungement Clinic!
We first launched the CORI Clinic in 2019 because we believe everyone deserves a second chance, but we know that is often easier said than done. In reality, people who hold criminal records pay the price long after they have served their time, facing stigma, ostracization, and difficulty accessing employment and housing.
So we harnessed our large network of volunteer attorneys and worked with Access to Justice Fellow Crispin Birnbaum to build a program that would connect people who have Massachusetts-based criminal records (known as CORI) with free legal assistance to seal or expunge their records and finally move forward.
Five years later, as we mark our 100th Clinic, we’d like to express our gratitude to everyone who has made this program possible. Below is just a fraction of the feedback we have received from past clients who can, thanks to the help they received, finally envision a better future for themselves and their families.
“It relieved a lot of stress that I’ve been dealing with for several years, and I am so grateful you guys came on board. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. Words cannot explain the feeling and joy you guys brought back to my life, seriously!”
– Samuel*, Former Client
“The outcome could not be better […] the flaws on my record are not indicative of the person I am today. I am no longer stigmatized by my record or a reflection of it.”
– Lisa*, Former Client
“[My attorneys] were there for me and I could not have done this without them. They went above and beyond to help me for years.”
– Rachel*, Former Client
“I am now able to apply for jobs without prejudice. Thank you for giving me my life back.”
– Sierra*, Former Client
“[My lawyer] took the time to go through a lot of paperwork and tackle all of the parts of my case. He put in a lot of work and time and really gave his all to the case. I am in a much better situation now.”
– Richard*, Former Client
“They kept contact with me and did everything they said they were going to. It opened a lot of opportunities for me.”
– Aaron*, Former Client
“The attorney I had was very friendly and nice explained everything in language I could understand. Best experience I ever had dealing with the legal system.”
– Serena*, Former Client
*All names changed to protect client privacy.
