June 01, 2006

Brook Brisson

Oregon Law Center Farmworker Program, Hillsboro, OR
2006

As a law clerk for the OLC-Farmworker Program, Brook conducted legal work on behalf of undocumented farmworkers, many of whom are migrant farmworkers. As an OLC-Farmworker law clerk, Brook divided her time between assisting the lead attorney on a class action with over 350 members and assisting the project coordinator of the Project Against Workplace Sexual Assault. While working on the class action, Brook drafted class certification notice, conducted legal research in support of litigation, and attended scheduling conferences with the opposing counsel and presiding judge. As a volunteer for OLC during the previous school year, she also attended depositions and catalogued discovery documents.

The Project Against Workplace Sexual Assault is a new project within the Farmworker Program, begun within the last year. As a clerk for the project, Brook created support materials, including informational pamphlets, one in Spanish for clients, and one in English for service providers. She also designed a PowerPoint presentation to be used in presentations for service providers, the EEOC, and other organizations. Additionally, she attended client interviews, project presentations and case planning meetings, and conducted legal research about Title VII.

Lastly, Brook conducted outreach programs to farm labor camps in the Willamette Valley and in The Dalles. As an outreach participant, Brook talked to farmworkers about their legal rights, their work, and their living conditions, and fielded questions concerning wage claims, workers compensation, and social services.