CHART YOUR OWN COURSE

Next in our Postcards from the Practice series featuring Duke Law students doing exciting work in big law, pro bono projects, and more is Oluwabamise Onabanjo LLM '21, who is working with Bass Connections this summer. “I am working as an intern with the Duke Bass Connections team, specifically on Mental Health and the Justice System in Durham County. As part of the team, I review mental health and substance abuse laws and policies of the state of North Carolina, as well as Durham County. I assess specialty courts and their impacts on justice involving individuals. “Specifically, I research the impacts of laws and policies on recidivism and arrest rates. The internship gives me an opportunity to work with Duke to address a crisis that is prevalent in the state. It gives me the opportunity to contribute to the growing discussion around mental health, the role of substance abuse, and how policies may affect the pervasiveness or otherwise of the crisis. My work on the team helps me contribute my legal education to solve real-time community problems and develop policy solutions that can be adapted to solve these issues – my reason for deciding to become a legal practitioner.” Keep watching for our next ‘Postcards from the Practice’ feature in this #summerpostcard series.