Rep. LaMonica McIver Boosts Family Law Clinic Serving Survivors

From left: Matthew Borowick, vice president of University Relations; Dean Ronald Weich; Rep. LaMonica McIver; and Professors Lissete Diaz and Lori Borgen. (Photo by Sabina Lee)

Congresswoman LaMonica McIver presented new federal funding to strengthen the Family Law Clinic’s work preventing domestic and sexual violence and supporting survivors. She reaffirmed her commitment to fighting for investments that protect local communities, highlighting the program’s life-saving and generational impact. 

---

 
Students, faculty and community partners gathered Feb. 18 at Seton Hall Law School for a check presentation ceremony with LaMonica McIver, recognizing new federal funding for the Family Law Clinic. The funding will expand the clinic’s community-based work to prevent domestic and sexual violence, strengthen legal services for survivors, and deepen hands-on training for students preparing for public service careers.

Speakers emphasized a shared commitment to community-centered justice, noting that the clinic’s impact extends beyond the courtroom to protect lives, educate young people and interrupt cycles of abuse. 

Dean Ron Weich opened the program by underscoring that the clinics are central to Seton Hall Law’s public service mission. He highlighted the Family Law Clinic’s role in providing critical legal representation to survivors of domestic and sexual violence—many of whom face significant barriers to accessing the justice system—while preparing students to serve with empathy, skill and purpose. The clinic’s success, he said, is measured not only in cases won, but in lives stabilized and futures reclaimed. 

Lori Borgen, director of the Center for Social Justice, who led the research compiling legal resources on access to justice for New Jersey residents, introduced Professor Lissete Diaz. 

Diaz illustrated that impact through a case that revealed family law’s generational reach. She recalled a case involving a man seeking to vacate a final restraining order so he could gain custody of his grandchildren, who were at risk of entering foster care. The case, she said, prompted her to reflect on the power of early education and intervention. “What if instead of a final restraining order at 19, he had taken our workshop at 16 or 17?” Diaz asked. “What if he had learned the tools to regulate his emotions and recognize the red flags of an unhealthy relationship?” 

“Family law is generational,” she said. “When you look at it from that larger scope, you really begin to understand how much impact we can make—and how much this funding will matter in the lives of our clients.” 

Diaz expressed her gratitude to McIver for her leadership and advocacy on behalf of survivors and marginalized communities. “We exist at a time when so many people don’t fight for those with different identities or life experiences,” she said. “You’ve led by standing up for this community—the one we serve and live in.” 

That mission was brought into focus by former clinic student Kayla Bowie, Class of 2026, who described how the clinic reshaped her legal education and sense of purpose. “It made me not just a student learning the law, but someone who was actually there for another person,” Bowie said. “Being a hand for someone to hold in the courtroom was incredibly rewarding.” Bowie described representing clients seeking restraining orders, navigating custody disputes, and helping individuals leave long-term abusive relationships. Many clients, she said, were unfamiliar with their legal rights. “Being able to explain the process and provide a sense of calm when they feel scared and alone is something I’ll always take with me,” she said. 

She also highlighted the clinic’s outreach efforts, including virtual domestic violence forums and presentations to local high school students on recognizing warning signs of abuse. Early education, she noted, can help prevent harm before it escalates. 

McIver closed the program by emphasizing the importance of directing federal resources to programs with measurable, life-saving impact. Her office, she said, was delivering approximately $10 million back into the district that day. “It’s important to bring dollars back to our communities, especially for programs like this one; it saves lives—literally,” McIver said. 

She praised the Seton Hall team for navigating the competitive federal funding process and spoke candidly about the urgent need for services that support survivors and young people in unhealthy relationships. McIver reaffirmed her commitment to the clinic’s mission. “I’m going to continue to fight for every penny I can to support our community,” she said. “This work matters, and it protects people when they need it most.” 

Following the remarks, McIver posed for photos with attendees and the ceremonial check, marking not just a funding milestone, but a collective investment in justice, safety and the power of early intervention.