Brooke Weitzman
While working toward increased access to legal services Brooke is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession through her work with the ABA and local bar associations.
Before founding the ELDR Center, Brooke provided legal services to veterans as an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow with the Public Law Center. She worked to ensure access to justice; prevent homelessness; increase employment; and other civil legal services to protect the rights of our veterans.
A member of only the third class at UCI Law, Brooke had the opportunity to make significant contributions to the school as a student leader. As a student she received awards from her peers, actively engaged the community, and completed over 430 hours of pro bono work. She also planned symposia including “Opposing the Criminalization of Homelessness: Building a Human Rights Framework” and “Prisoner’s Access to Justice: Exploring Legal, Medical, Mental Health, and Education Rights.”
Since founding the ELDR Center, she has successfully litigated federal cases to change the County response to the housing crisis. As a result, she was selected by OC Register as most influential in 2018. At the same time, she has worked to grow the young non-profit and serve the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, and their families. The Center provides free clinics and low cost legal services in an effort to close the justice gap for those who cannot otherwise access the help that they need. In this capacity she has helped to prevent elder abuse; assisted families to make end of life plans with dignity; and more.
She continues to have an active role in the community services on local boards including the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association, Constitutional Rights Foundation, National Lawyers Guild, and UCI Law Alumni Association. In these roles, she takes time to mentor and teach students and recent graduates who wish to pursue careers in public interest or find ways to incorporate service into careers in the private sector.