“Is it possible, at all, to expunge my record? I know I don’t deserve it, but I just wondered if there was any way…” Hernando* said, his voice trailing off. Megan Kamau, an intern at the Trinity Law Clinic, listened intently. She knew there was more to his story—and she wanted to hear it.
Hernando summoned the courage to share what led him to the clinic that day. Seven years ago, he was drug-addicted and homeless. With help from the Orange County Rescue Mission program, he recovered from his addiction, found a stable job at an AC Repair company, and, most importantly, gave his life to Christ! His life had completely changed, but the nine felonies on his record created a constant stumbling block, preventing him from becoming a manager at his job and from moving into a nicer apartment with his wife.
When he finished, Megan smiled. “But you do deserve this!” she said. “You’ve turned your life around. God’s heart is for your redemption! I can help you get those felonies expunged.”
Hernando began to cry, overwhelmed with gratitude and relief.
It was a moving moment—but it’s the norm at Trinity Law Clinic, a free law clinic for current residents and alumni of the Orange County Rescue Mission. Each year, the clinic empowers both interns from Trinity Law School and the clients they serve, providing practical experience for interns and life-changing legal guidance for people like Hernando.
As an intern, Megan gained a wealth of experience in many types of law, including bankruptcies, guardianships, evictions, and more. This gave her ample opportunity to build research skills as an attorney. It also built up her confidence in meeting with clients one-on-one. “I was thrown in the deep end,” Megan says, “so I got a wealth of experience. The residents were representing themselves, and we had a professor guiding us.”
Megan’s experience at the Trinity Law Clinic renewed her passion for law, reminding her why she wanted to be an attorney in the first place—to display God’s heart for redemption for all people. Her internship confirmed her calling as a lawyer and fulfilled a deep desire in her heart to help people in a truly transformative way.
Generous donors made Megan’s internship possible. When she graduated from college several years ago, she dreamed of attending law school, but as a newlywed concerned about her financial future, she didn’t feel like taking on a high level of student debt was wise. She was elated when she received a full-ride scholarship with a stipend to Trinity Law School! “Receiving the scholarship fulfilled my dream,” she says.
In the future, Megan hopes to work in estate planning and run a legal aid clinic. “I want to continue helping people discover God’s heart for redemption!”.
*name changed for confidentiality