Formerly Incarcerated Advocate Joins PJLC as First Legal Apprentice

The Peace and Justice Law Center has welcomed Eduardo Dumbrique as its first impacted-person legal apprentice. This marks a significant step in the organization’s commitment to community-led justice and leadership by people directly harmed by the legal system.

Dumbrique was wrongly convicted of murder in 1997 and spent more than two decades incarcerated before his conviction was overturned and his name cleared. During his incarceration, he became an accomplished jailhouse lawyer, helping others understand and navigate complex legal processes despite having no formal legal training.

As part of launching the apprenticeship in late 2022, Dumbrique’s initial work focused on building the program itself. He researched California’s lawyer apprenticeship pathway and presented on how the process works, laying the groundwork for his own training and for future impacted people who may pursue a similar path into the legal profession.

The decision to create an impacted-person legal apprenticeship reflects a core belief of the PJLC’s work. Lasting change requires leadership from the community, and especially from people who have lived through the harms the legal system causes. Rather than treating impacted people only as clients, the PJLC is committed to supporting them as advocates, professionals, and leaders.

Dumbrique’s story shows why this approach matters. He was treated by the system as one of the worst cases, yet he is someone with deep legal insight and a strong commitment to helping others. His wrongful incarceration represents decades of lost opportunity, not only for him but for the community that could have benefited from his contributions.

Through this apprenticeship, the PJLC will support Dumbrique’s legal training while continuing to work toward a justice system that does not waste lives, talent, or public resources, and instead invests in the leadership of those most directly impacted.