17 “Ivette” had always been a fierce advocate for her family, and when she was pregnant with her tenth child, she was forced to fight an eviction notice in several proceedings, ultimately appealing her case to the highest court in Massachusetts. That court issued an emergency stay of her eviction and referred her case to the Civil Appeals Clinic—a pro bono civil legal services program for underserved populations founded by Mintz and the Volunteer Lawyers Project. Staff at the clinic quickly identified an eviction notice defect, but there was a massive legal hurdle. Previously lacking an attorney to guide her, Ivette had entered into a settlement agreement with the landlord, and the Housing Court had already issued its ruling requiring Ivette to leave her apartment. Mintz attorneys Lavinia Weizel and Kerime Akoglu, with assistance from attorney Alain Mathieu and law school interns, began preparing the brief for Ivette’s appeal and consulting with outside legal services attorneys with extensive experience in housing law. Attorneys Brian Dunphy, who oversees the firm’s involvement in the clinic, and Sue Finegan, Chair of Mintz’s Pro Bono Program, also advised throughout the matter. Realizing that Ivette was in a strong bargaining position—in part because her rent continued to be paid on time even after she received the eviction notice—the Mintz team decided to help her reach a new settlement that would resolve the appeal and allow her to remain in her apartment while searching for new housing. By November, Ivette had given birth to her tenth child, and the team had struck a deal with her then landlord allowing Ivette to remain in her apartment until July 2018, provide only one week’s notice when she found a new apartment, and get $2,000 in moving expenses. Although the settlement was a clear victory, Mintz’s work to find alternate housing for Ivette was just beginning. The team, now including project analyst Morgan Sandhu and former Mintz analyst Sarah Engell, shifted its focus. For more than six months, they worked with Ivette to find a new apartment that met Section 8 space requirements; assisted her in navigating the housing authority’s requirements and voluminous paperwork; aided her in securing much needed benefits to cover other expenses; and negotiated with the prospective landlord’s realtor and the housing authority to resolve issues related to the apartment inspection. After being turned away from one apartment after another, and facing administrative hurdles at every turn, Ivette was able to find a suitable apartment, and with the help of the Mintz team, achieve approval from the housing authority for her to move in by June 1. “Working with a client in such a desperate situation required incredible compassion and the ability to act as a sounding board for Ivette as she faced the frightening prospect of finding a new place to live on her extremely limited resources,” said Kerime. For her, it brought to life the income inequality that’s increasingly part of the public discourse. As Ivette’s move date approached, the team guided her through applications and interviews with organizations that provide generous funding for extra expenses, such as the first month’s rent and security deposit, and also counseled Ivette through the transition from one landlord to another. “It was a real team effort. We were all legitimately con- cerned. We didn’t want to see a mother and 10 children become homeless,” Lavinia added. Finding the Way Home “When this case first came to the appellate courts, Ivette’s family was in dire straits. They were facing seemingly certain homelessness, or at best, an unstable housing situation. As a result of Mintz’s work on this project, they’re housed in a nice apartment, and their situation is much more secure. This will change the trajectory of her children’s lives.” Joanna George Allison Executive Director Volunteer Lawyers Project