Director Q&A with Jeremy Pilkington
Written by Alexandra Ross, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Jeremy Pilkington has been a valuable member of the Clinic’s team since 2021 when he started as the Director of Housing & Consumer Justice before transitioning to his current role as the Director of Re-entry Justice. To understand Jeremy’s role here at the Clinic better, I asked him some questions pertaining to the Re-entry Justice Program to help glean important information for our clients.
Before working at the Clinic, what did you do?
Though I didn’t start working at the Clinic until 2021, I have committed my career to fighting for the justice and dignity of the most vulnerable members of our society. Upon graduating law school in 2010, I worked as a trial attorney for the Missouri State Public Defender providing indigent clients with an ardent defense against criminal allegations while ensuring that their outcomes did not hinge on their financial standing. Eventually, I assumed managerial responsibilities as my office’s Deputy District Defender, where I oversaw the day-to-day operations of a 14-attorney office charged with being the primary source of indigent criminal defense for central Missouri. It’s a place, a responsibility, and a group of people that meant a lot to me.
What role does the Expungement Help Desk play at the Clinic?
The Help Desk is one of the primary faces of the Clinic within the community. Although we work all over the state, the vast majority of the 3,000 people we serve each year are from Indianapolis. And we are lucky enough to have the Clinic’s longest-tenured employee, Julie Mennel, on our team. She started the Help Desk back in 2015 and has worked to bring awareness to our program and the benefits of expungement. Thankfully, she also built up a strong team of people along the way to help serve an ever-increasing number of visitors.
What is the most rewarding part of working in the Re-entry Justice Program?
To obtain an expungement, you have to be very far removed from the time and life circumstances that led you to sustain a criminal conviction in the first place. This is a long road, with many obstacles. But we get to be alongside these folks as they take the last steps of their journey. Oftentimes, we get to deliver the news that they’re no longer defined by their worst mistakes–they have a fresh start–it’s just an incredible feeling.
And for me, it has deep gospel implications. It reminds me of how I felt when I became a Christian and learned of the apostle Paul’s proclamation in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that in Christ, I am a new creation – that the old has passed away, and the new has come. While I’ve never been convicted of a crime, I spent many years of my life standing guilty before a holy God and I needed the free gift of a second chance that could only come through Christ’s sacrifice. I now have an eternal future that’s far better than anything I deserve. Expungement in the criminal justice context has strong parallels. Every time I see someone rejoicing in the relief that expungement brings, I am reminded of the humbling beauty of my own redemption.
What advice would you offer someone who wants to get an expungement?
Come see us at the Expungement Help Desk! The statute that allows for expungement is complicated, but we have a team of passionate experts who want to help you – free of charge. Even if you’re not yet time-eligible, we can help you take steps to prepare to obtain your expungement quickly when you do become eligible. You don’t need to bring anything with you but try to arrive early and be prepared to wait a bit as we serve individuals on a first-come, first-serve basis.
For more information about the Re-entry Justice Program, please visit nclegalclinic.org/re-entry-justice.