Free Expungement Clinics for Low-Income New Jersey Residents
Rutgers Law School’s Expungement Law Project (ELP) is hosting two free events this spring for low-income individuals seeking expungement of their New Jersey criminal history. Offered in partnership with South Jersey Legal Services (SJLS), the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, and local county prosecutor offices, these events provide an opportunity for community members to meet with law clinic students and practicing attorneys to discuss expungement eligibility. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged by calling SJLS at 1-800-496-4570.
The first event will take place on Thursday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, located at 1865 Harrison Avenue in Camden. The second event is scheduled for Thursday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Paulsboro Firehouse, located at 1524 Swedesboro Avenue in Paulsboro.
The events will be staffed by Professors Meredith Schalick, Sandra Simkins, Jessica Frisina, and Viktoria Zerda, as well as the 18 Rutgers Law students currently enrolled in the Expungement Law Project. Volunteer attorneys are also needed, and no experience is necessary. Attorneys who wish to participate can sign up with SJLS by contacting Michelle Nuciglio at 856-403-8620 or mnuciglio@lsnj.org. Free CLE training over Zoom will be provided for all volunteer attorneys.
“The clients we help through this project are the most motivated clients I have ever worked with,” says Meredith Schalick, clinical professor of law and ELP co-director. “These are people who are incredibly committed to turning their life around, but who are running up against obstacles where criminal histories—sometimes from 20, 30, 40 years ago—prevent them from accessing loans, jobs, insurance, housing, and more.”
Indeed, these events are a great opportunity for lawyers and law students to give back to the community and make a tangible difference in residents’ lives. “I didn’t know if I could get a second chance, and the students explained that I could apply [for expungement] and what the process is,” says “Tina,” a former client from Camden County. “It’s letting me change my whole life for my kids. I’ve got a job with benefits, and I’m trying to save for a car.”
In addition to providing direct legal aid, ELP offers information sessions and training on the expungement process, and advocates for reforms and policy changes to enhance access and efficiency in New Jersey’s expungement system.
ELP is supported by funding from the New Jersey State Bar Foundation (NJSBF). In 2024, the foundation awarded more than $4 million in multi-year grants to support Rutgers Law School clinics in both Camden and Newark. Made possible by funding from the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Fund of the Bar of New Jersey, these grants enable over 250 law students to provide pro bono legal services to more than 500 clients annually via Rutgers Law clinics, and plans are in place to expand participation by an additional 50 to 60 clinical law students going forward.
“The NJSBF has generously supported Rutgers’ clinical programs for decades,” says Camden Clinical Program Dean Sandra Simkins. “With this new funding, we expanded the Expungement Law Project and welcomed Viktoria Zerda as a new teaching fellow who joins myself and Professor Meredith Schalick.”
For the students who participate, working in this and other clinics is both educationally enriching and personally fulfilling. “Being part of the Expungement Law Project at Rutgers is an incredibly rewarding experience—one that goes beyond words,” says Kayla Handt, a 3L Rutgers Law student and certified legal intern with the project. “Helping a client who has rarely had anyone in their corner is profoundly meaningful. The project’s mission is to assist clients in receiving a fresh start because we believe that a few past mistakes should not define a person’s future.”