معرفی
Valencia Saskia is the Interim Director of the Disability and Civil Rights Clinic and Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. She is deeply engaged in clinical legal education and public interest advocacy, with a focus on civil rights, disability law, and family defense.
Her research and professional interests center on the intersection of law, disability, and family regulation systems. She critically examines how legal frameworks impact individuals with disabilities, particularly within child welfare and mental health contexts. Her work emphasizes preserving family bonds and supporting marginalized communities through innovative legal and interdisciplinary approaches.
Professor Valencia has extensive practical experience in public defense and legal advocacy. She previously served as a senior staff attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services’ Family Defense Practice and as a Skadden Fellow at Youth Represent, where she launched a medical-legal partnership for youth with mental illness and developed programs for immigrant youth in the legal system.
She also has a background in mental health, having worked as a community-based family therapist in New York City and San Diego, supporting youth and families involved in the juvenile legal system and those experiencing homelessness.
Her teaching includes the Clinic - Disability and Civil Rights, where students likely engage in direct client representation and systemic advocacy. Though no formal awards or publications are listed, her leadership in pioneering legal initiatives and clinical programs underscores her impact in legal education and social justice.
Professor Valencia supervises clinical students and has contributed to the development of innovative legal projects, including the first medical-legal partnership at Youth Represent and specialized support for immigrant youth. Her career reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, client-centered advocacy, and structural reform in the legal system.
She is affiliated with the Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School, a program dedicated to advancing the rights of people with disabilities through litigation, policy work, and community engagement.
