the safety, autonomy and economic viability of victims, by providing accurate information, referrals and support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

"In general, a legal advocate is someone who knows the legal system but is actually not a lawyer," she says.

Viernstein notes that she mostly handles cases involving domestic violence and sexual abuse. However she also advises cases involving divorce, custody and support. "I give clients legal information and the confidence they need to navigate themselves through difficult situations." Not only does she offer clients advice about the legal system, she also counsels women.

"Every Monday morning, I provide legal accompaniment in a Protective Services for Adults (PSA) court," Viernstein says, where she works and advocates with attorneys if a client becomes too scared – as they often do when they see their abusers present in court. Viernstein also works with sheriffs, public defenders, and anyone else associated with the law enforcement to provide justice for her clients.
In addition to weekly court appearances, she also trains an outreach and a youth outreach program, informing the community about the services of Women’s Resources of Monroe County, all free and confidential.

Viernstein says that she enjoys her work and finds the job to be, "very rewarding to be able to help women." But, she says, although it is great work, it can be very scary at times. "It is frightening sometimes to listen to a client speak about her violent experiences."

Viernstein attributes much of her success to her experiences at Albright. With a degree in crime & justice, she notes that everything she learned during her classes at Albright has helped her achieve an enjoyable career within the legal profession. "Aspects of my senior seminar project for my major dealt with domestic violence and it is interesting how it relates to everything I’m doing now."

Besides Albright’s on-campus opportunities, Viernstein strongly encourages students to do an internship at the Washington Center in the nation’s capital. When she served her internship in Washington, she accompanied and observed a lawyer’s daily routine. "We went to court everyday and I did a lot of filing," Viernstein says.

Throughout her internship, she also helped the lawyer with other duties that Viernstein now finds beneficial with her legal advocate position. Her experiences gained through her internship and information learned throughout Albright’s courses increased her interests in the field of domestic violence.

In the future, Viernstein plans to further her education by obtaining a master’s degree in social work. However, she does not intend to become a lawyer. She says, "I want to continue working with victim services because that is where I belong."
She prefers her current position because it enables her to share legal advice as well as provide an opportunity for her to counsel clients, an extremely rewarding feeling.

– Jennifer M. Hawriluk ’01