By: Naomi Bach and Sydnie Platt
Naomi
My time working with the Center for Global Justice has been a very meaningful part of my legal education. It’s more than just a place to gain experience—it’s a community devoted to pursuing justice in its most transformative form. Being a part of the Center for Global Justice has given me an even greater appreciation for the law and also a greater appreciation for what happens when a group of people come together in the name of Justice. The research and projects that come out of the Center for Global Justice impact so many people, states, and even other countries.
During my time at the Center, I had the opportunity to contribute to a research project aimed at supporting those who have experienced deep injustice. The work was both challenging and inspiring. It required not just legal analysis, but also empathy, humility, and a willingness to confront the limitations of our legal systems. Through this project, I came to see the law not as a static set of rules, but as a living framework that can either protect or fail people—depending on how we choose to use it. It is encouraging to see where the law is growing and an opportunity where the law seems stagnant.
This experience changed the way I think about the law. I’ve always believed in the power of the law, but working with the Center helped me realize that legal solutions must be paired with compassion and a strong moral compass. The law has extraordinary potential to heal, to right wrongs, and to restore lives—but only when it is wielded thoughtfully and courageously.
As I look toward my future career, the Center for Global Justice has left a lasting imprint on me. Whether I find myself in a courtroom, policy office, or nonprofit organization, I will carry forward the Center’s commitment to advocacy grounded in truth, justice, and mercy. I’m grateful to have been part of this work, and even more committed to the kind of lawyer I want to become because of it.
Sydnie
I came to law school came with an inherent desire to work to help society on matters much larger than myself, my team, or even the university I was attending. The desire was to help individuals when they were at their most vulnerable, but even more dire was to help protect them before they were at their most vulnerable. Here at Regent Law, The Center for Global Justice has given me that opportunity this semester as my team and I worked in connection with Shared Hope.
This semester I had the opportunity to dive into the laws around the United States that have been implemented to protect those that are victims to human trafficking either through record expungement, sentencing reform, pardons, and other protections. It became a stark realization that not only do the protections vary state to state and across the board, but the room for improvement among any state is still great. Through research, states generally fell into one of three categories: they had moderate reform in expungements and sentencing, they were just beginning their work on reforms, or they had no protection statutes in place. What I found interesting through this whole process is how states have begun this reform. In particular, states like Michigan return their survivors to a pre-record status through record expungement, like it never happened. In addition, depending on the conviction a judge will defer the proceedings, or set the conviction aside.
With this understanding, it is important that work like this is being done by Shared Hope. To dig into the research and see where the holes are, so, the advocacy work being done can be better and stronger for the time that follows. Not only is it important to raise awareness against human trafficking, but raise awareness for the protections that need to be in place after the fact. I pray that in these coming years, the Lord gives us the heart, mind, and resources to advocate, act, and protect.
This post was written by a student at Regent University School of Law. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.