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Maya Weinstein, Wu, Grohovsky, & Whipple intern, wins Undergraduate Paper Award in the Division of Critical Criminology for the American Society of Criminology

By October 27, 2015September 25th, 2023No Comments

Maya Weinstein recently joined Wu, Grohovsky, & Whipple as an intern, where she is responsible for assisting attorneys with case law research, investigative tasks, client relations, and keeping up with current events. Weinstein previously worked with a variety of victims’ services and advocacy entities, including the National Center for Victims of Crime and RAINN.

Maya serves as President for Phi Sigma Sigma Fraternity and as Director of Policy and Community Outreach for GW Students Against Sexual Assault. Weinstein will graduate in December with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Human Services from George Washington University. After graduation she plans to stay in DC and is looking for a job in the advocacy, legal, or nonprofit field.

Weinstein’s thesis about restorative justice for cases of campus sexual assault

The handling of sexual assault cases by universities is a hot topic right now. Neither the accuser or accused end up happy in a university disciplinary proceeding, but going to the authorities is not always an option.

This topic was particularly important to me as a survivor of sexual assault. I went through my university’s disciplinary proceedings and have a lot of strong opinions on how my case was handled.

After researching restorative justice practices this past summer, I decided to investigate the possibilities for colleges. It is extremely controversial, but I believe worth researching further as a potential option.

I formally received the award last November at the ceremony, and I have had a couple of people contact me and ask if they can read it and hear my ideas. I will be presenting the paper at another conference in Denver in March. I would love for my topic to open doors to further research.

Shan Wu

Author Shan Wu

Shan’s professional and personal background gives him a unique understanding of academic institutions and the criminal justice system. A former federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., he is at home in D.C. Courts and very familiar with all of the Washington, D.C. law enforcement agencies, especially the Metropolitan Police Department. His parents were university professors so he grew up in a university environment. He understands the mindset of academic institutions. As a prosecutor, he supervised in the misdemeanor crime section. This is the section of the Washington, D.C. prosecutor’s office that handles most college student cases. His understanding of charging decisions and how judges view these cases is invaluable to his student clients and their families. Shan served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for over ten years. During his tenure there, now Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. appointed him to supervisory positions in the Misdemeanor Trial Section and also in a police corruption task force. His outstanding legal work in the government was recognized through numerous Special Achievement Awards from the Justice Department as well as awards conveyed by law enforcement agencies and community groups. From 1999-2000, Shan served as Counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno, advising her on criminal and civil investigations, E-Gov, E-Commerce (electronic signatures, internet gambling, internet telephony, privacy & public access issues in electronic court filings), congressional oversight, and legislative review. His responsibilities included serving as liaison to the FBI, DEA, Criminal Division, Executive Office of United States Attorneys, National Institute of Justice, and White House Counsel’s Office. Shan serves on the D.C. Bar Association’s Hearing Committee of the Board on Professional Responsibility and is a past president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association for the Greater Washington, D.C. area. He is a 1988 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, where he graduated Order of the Barristers, edited two law reviews, and was Co-Director of the Moot Court Program. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from Vassar College as well as a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Following law school, he clerked for the late Hon. Jerry Buchmeyer, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the late Eugene Wright, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Connecticut.

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