Atlanta-based law firm Deitch + Rogers works with people at their worst moments. The crime victim firm takes on civil cases for victims, particularly in cases of injury, assault and even death.
The goal? Deitch + Rogers promotes “peace of mind” for its clients. But the actual process isn’t so simple. Not every crime victim has a case, and the ones who do must navigate a tricky and triggering legal system before reaching any resolution.
That’s why in January, the firm hired a dedicated victim advocate. It’s a rare move for a legal firm. As the Survivor Services Coordinator, Na’Sha Robertson doesn’t handle any legal elements of the caseload. She works to make sure clients are cared for beyond the law.
“Our job primarily is to literally advocate on behalf of the survivors,” Robertson explained. “Whether it’s housing, employment, or mental healthcare, whatever it is, that’s our job.”
It fills a gap at firms like Deitch + Rogers. In crime victim law, most of the clients have a few key things in common: something happened to them, it happened in a place where they expected to be safe, and they’re often marginalized or disadvantaged.
That’s reflected in the cases Deitch + Rogers takes on. The firm works with home and hotel attacks, sexual assaults, and violent crimes in unsafe properties. It leaves the lawyers in a complicated situation.
“We’re a very niche practice, so we get a lot of calls and emails from lawyers who can’t do what we do,” Deitch + Rogers partner Kara Phillips said.
Without any proper training, they must work with victims in sensitive situations. And those victims may not always have a case.
“Ever since April, we’ve had to turn away many, many, many more cases than we ever have before,” Phillips said.
Georgia enacted tort reform under Governor Brian Kemp last year, which narrows crime victims’ rights to civil claims for negligence, protecting business owners but making court cases much harder. It leaves lawyers like Phillips with their hands tied.
That’s when Na’Sha Robertson reached out. She had been working in a domestic violence center in Florida when a survivor mentioned the Atlanta firm.
“She spoke so highly about the attorneys here, and her only complaints were all surrounding trauma-informed care.”
It was perfect timing. Phillips had recently heard of firms using social workers for intake, so victims could talk with someone who had proper training. Robertson could do that and more.
“There are things she’s able to provide from a support standpoint,” Phillips said.
It especially helps the overwhelmed staff. “It’s hard to set aside 30 minutes for an intake call that may or may not result in something I even have the tools to help with,” Phillips said.
But Robertson has the time. She takes about five to six calls a day, where she starts by asking a few questions. She takes care to keep the questions open-ended and never says “no.” She lets the victim ramble as long as they need.
Everything gets scribbled down on a giant sheet of paper and put in order. Then Robertson assesses their needs. She looks at immediate concerns, like safety planning, mental health care and safe housing.
“I have a slew of resources that I am then going through,” Robertson explained.
Even if the caller doesn’t have a real legal case, Robertson can help them resolve immediate needs. She does admit that recent funding cuts to nonprofits and public services make things like temporary housing harder to access.
But Phillips said Robertson has some “really creative ideas” to meet people where they are. Most of her cases last about three months, though some have stretched to six months.
If they do have a case, Robertson stays involved. She may chat with a defense attorney and ask them to be careful about a sensitive topic. She may even send out some warnings, telling clients the process could end up harming their mental health more than helping it. She’s around for every step.
“Sometimes we need to be the intermediary that says ‘hey, this is a lot right now for our survivors and we need to take a break,’” Robertson said.
She helps advocate for the client, on everything from word choice to facial expressions to where the client sits in a room to be most comfortable.
“10 years from now, when this case is over, you still have to pick the pieces up, because the cases we do are, you know, really sensitive,” Phillips said.
She said the sooner her clients get support from Robertson, “the better off they’re going to be 10 years down the line.”
For Robertson, the process only really ends when the survivor is in a better space.
“That’s always my angle, when can they start advocating for themselves?” Robertson said.
But the firm doesn’t plan to stop here. Phillips admits Robertson can’t take on everything, but she thinks the role should be a standard at law firms everywhere.
“Every single attorney is dealing with people who have experienced trauma,” Phillips said.
Robertson recently led a trauma training with outside lawyers and the Deitch + Rogers team. It tackled communication with survivors, as well as vicarious trauma and burnout in the legal field. They’re already eyeing another training, and teased a possible media training, too.
“There’s no law firm that shouldn’t consider this,” Phillips said. “If they want help knowing what they need, or what makes sense, just call us.”