The Center for Criminal Justice Reform (CCJR) at the University of Baltimore School of Law supports community-driven efforts to address harm and inequity in the criminal justice system and advance public safety. Aligned with both parts of that mission, CCJR has been proud to partner with the Community Violence Legal Network (CVLN) in a number of ways, including hosting two multidisciplinary convenings: the kickoff to the national Legal Power Series and the first-ever National Legal Conference on Violence Prevention, held in March 2026.
In September 2025, CCJR and CVLN teamed up to co-host the kickoff event for CVLN’s national “Legal Power Series” in Baltimore, highlighting the network’s three pillars of work: direct legal services, Know Your Rights trainings, and strategic impact litigation. Co-founder Amber Goodwin shared the origins of CVLN and recalled how the legal field would often mobilize after mass shootings, which frequently left her wondering where those same voices were in the wake of daily gun violence experienced disproportionately in Black and Brown communities. This is the gap CVLN is fighting to close.
This event was an energizing step forward for the movement at a moment when this life-saving work is under attack. The interdisciplinary gathering brought together lawyers and law students with leaders across the CVI field, including frontline workers, policy advocates, government officials, and organizers, to reflect on this critical moment for community safety. It was a powerful testament to the importance of coming together—where solutions can emerge by bridging often siloed conversations and strengthening advocates’ impact in the face of existential threats to this work.
Recognizing that sustaining the movement’s gains would require careful strategy and coordination, CVLN went on to host the first-ever national legal conference dedicated to gun violence prevention. The conference brought together attorneys, advocates, organizers, policymakers, and law students from across the nation to explore a wide range of issues focused on advancing community violence intervention strategies.
It was fitting to host both of these events in Baltimore, which has demonstrated some of the most inspiring recent reductions in homicide and nonfatal shootings in the nation. In 2025, Baltimore achieved the lowest number of homicides since the 1970s. Unprecedented collaboration and investment in the CVI ecosystem helped fuel these historic gains in public safety, making the more than $8 million funding cut to this work in Baltimore particularly alarming. Such a significant loss to life-saving street outreach, wraparound services, and hospital-based violence intervention programs—which provide transformative care to thousands of victims and disrupt cycles of violence—will be felt most acutely in the communities most affected by crime.
This three-day gathering began with field visits, giving participants an on-the-ground view of how CVI, strategic litigation, and direct legal services can work together to protect programs and improve public safety. Many conference attendees visited the LifeBridge Center for Hope, where they observed community violence intervention in action and met directly with frontline organizers working within the community. Through these guided site visits, participants gained a deeper understanding of what an effective, community-centered safety policy looks like and shared insights on how organizers and attorneys can collaborate to strengthen this field.
The powerful collaborations on display throughout the three-day event highlighted
the transformative impact of this work on communities across the nation and the need
for the legal community to be as resilient and courageous as the frontline workers
we support. Feedback from participants underscored the conference’s significance,
with attendees across disciplines describing it as both meaningful and impactful—an
encouraging signal that this convening model should continue.
Notably, during the conference’s final day, Heather Warnken, Executive Director of CCJR, was presented with an Impact Award, recognizing her leadership and the strength of this partnership in advancing community violence intervention efforts.
As we celebrate the milestones achieved through this partnership, we remain highly aware of the challenges ahead. With the CVI ecosystem facing serious funding cuts and other threats nationwide and here in Baltimore, the connection between legal strategy and community-led intervention has never been more important. We hope this historic conference is the first of many and are grateful to continue finding innovative ways to partner with CVLN in their groundbreaking work—and for our law school community to be part of it.