"Where a white legal professional might see stats, I see people. Because, after all, the systemic issues that affect my clients have also affected me."
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When you’re a Client Advocate you never know what each day will hold. Explore a day in the life of three second year Advocates in Los Angeles County, as they do everything from preparing for court and collaborating with attorneys, to assisting with expungements. Interested in becoming a Client Advocate? Learn more here.
8:30-9 AM – When I arrive at the office, I check the calendar to see if any of my clients are in court. I also check the phone to see if anyone tried to contact me after hours and respond to urgent inquiries immediately.
9-10 AM – I head to court to touch base with clients before their case is called.
10-10:45 AM – Following their court appearance, the client and I make a game plan for our next steps in working together. If needed, I also help coordinate transportation for them back home.
10:45-11 AM – I take my first 15-minute break.
11AM-12PM – Around this time I am often called to court by attorneys for emergency referrals. During my initial meeting with a client, I run through our intake questions, and we develop a game plan for working together. Emergency referral clients are sometimes incarcerated and eligible to be conditionally released to a program. If this is the case, I begin calling programs and inquiring about availability right away.
12-12:30 PM – Lunch! (with the occasional coffee run for us and the attorneys)
12:30-2 PM – After lunch, I speak with attorneys about specific cases and send out next court date reminders to clients who have court in the next 1-4 business days. Every other Monday at this time, the Airport Advocates meet with our DIC (deputy-in-charge) to discuss caseloads and assign referrals.
2-3 PM – If needed, I run errands with the other Advocates at the courthouse. These errands include meeting clients at transitional housing, picking up prepaid phones for clients, and accompanying clients to court-required classes or evaluations.
3-3:15 PM – I take my second 15-minute break.
3:15-5 PM – Toward the end of the day, I call programs to check on client progress and complete my case notes. I also create a to-do list for the next day and make sure that I have contacted all of the clients who are expected in court the next morning.
8:30-9 AM – When I get to the office, I confirm which clients have court today and call them to make sure they are on their way. I also print the client’s documents and progress report before heading over to the courthouse across the street.
9-10 AM – At the courthouse, I speak with the attorney to let them know that I am on the case. After making sure my client has checked in with the bailiff, I sit down with my client to see how they’re doing.
10-10:45 AM – After my clients’ cases are called, I ask them if they need help with anything outside of their criminal case such as housing referrals, job applications, or following up with programs. Then I coordinate their transportation home, if needed, and head back to the office.
10:45-11 AM – I take my first 15-minute break.
11AM-12:30 PM – Around this time, I check in with the CCB Advocate team to discuss referral flow and assign new cases. We also use this time to discuss specific cases and questions anyone may have.
12:30-1 PM – Lunch in Chinatown
1-2 PM – After lunch, I update my case notes for clients that I saw in court that morning.
2-3 PM – Then I head back over to CCB for my office hours shift. CCB is a training court, which means that the attorneys we work with are often early in their careers and have never worked with a Client Advocate. As a result, CCB Advocates have implemented rotating office hours for attorneys to drop in and ask questions.
3-3:45 PM – I check in with specific attorneys on my cases and answer any questions they may have.
3:45-4 PM – I take my second 15-minute break.
4-5 PM – Before leaving, I call and check in with clients to remind them of upcoming court dates. I also use this time to check in on client progress in specific programs.
8:30-9 AM – When I arrive at the office, I login to my email and Airtable to check if I have any clients in court this morning. I also check the phone to see if any clients tried to contact me after hours.
9AM-10 AM – If none of my clients have court, I handle walk-in clients and new referrals. On Mondays and Tuesdays, we help clients with filing expungements and petitions to seal, erasing past arrests and convictions from their records.
10-10:45 AM – Then I reach out to clients and check on their progress with programs. I also take this time to touch base with the other Advocates at San Fernando to see where we can support each other throughout the day.
10:45-11 AM – I take my first 15-minute break.
11AM-12:30 PM – Before lunch I make requests to programs and follow up with attorneys returning to the office from court. Every two weeks I also have my one-on-one with my RPM* during this time.
*An RPM, or Regional Program Manager, is a PFJ national team member who oversees a small number of Client Advocates.
12:30-1 PM – Lunch around San Fernando.
1-2:45 PM – After lunch, I speak with attorneys about specific cases and discuss any updates or questions they may have.
2:45-3 PM – I take my second 15-minute break.
3-4 PM – Then I reach out to clients with upcoming court dates and update my case notes for the day. If we had any new referrals, I also use this time to enter them into Airtable.
4-5 PM – Before leaving for the day, I make a to-do list for tomorrow and ensure that all of the clients who have court tomorrow have been notified.
