Jessica Feierman on “Rebellious Lawyering” methods in context of prison:

“[T]he concept of rebellious lawyering comes from the work of Gerald Lopez and its methods emphasize ‘a non hierarchical relationship between lawyer and client; a true collaboration between them in identifying and addressing problems and solutions; a bi-polar educational experience between lawyer and client and an exploration of non-legal collective action to fight oppression.’”

“Among the characteristics of rebellious lawyering that might be the most useful in the prison context are: (1) a critical examination of when and whether to use litigation; (2) an openness to alternative problem-solving techniques, particularly collective action inside and outside the prisons; and (3) an emphasis on non-hierarchical relationships between lawyers and clients resulting in strategies that emphasize client voice.”

Excerpted from Jessica Feierman, CREATIVE PRISON LAWYERING: FROM SILENCE TO DEMOCRACY, 11 Geo. J. on Poverty L. & Pol’y 249 (2004).

Jessica Feierman is Supervising Attorney at the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.