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Benchmark
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honoring

Catherine
Elias
Jermany

From her days as a community advocate in South Central Los Angeles in the 1950's and 60's through her current directorship of the National Self Help Law Project, Catherine Elias Jermany has been on the frontlines in the struggle against poverty and injustice. She has pursued this mission as founder of the Dependency Prevention Center and the National Association of Independent Paralegals and through her work at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, National Welfare Rights Organization, Children's Defense Fund, National Paralegal Institute, and Legal Services Corporation.

A prolific trainer and training designer - author of countless of training manuals, exercises and simulations, Catherine pioneered many of the training techniques that are evident in Benchmark's training design and the real life characters that inhabit our simulations. Her influence is felt most profoundly in the way Benchmark chooses to do legal training - - through discussion and interactive exercises instead of talking heads; caring, collaborative relationships instead of competitive anonymity. 

Whether representing individuals in administrative hearings, mediating disputes among groups or doing legislative advocacy on behalf of millions, Catherine is dedicated to building people's capabilities so that they can move out of poverty. Insistent on mutual responsibility and respect between the client community and legal workers, she uses legal knowledge to bolster self-reliance. She continues to devote her energies to advocate for the critical role that paralegals, clients and community advocates play in delivery of legal services for low-income people.

Catherine is the co-author of The Independent Paralegal's Handbook.