Jake Gerrish

Congratulations to our April Volunteer Attorney of the Month, Jake Gerrish!

Jake just obtained a long-term protective order for his first ANDVSA client!

Jake heard about ANDVSA through his colleagues at Stoel Rives LLP, where he is an associate. He thought that as a newer attorney it would be a rewarding way to volunteer and gain litigation experience. Jake had not done a protective order case before, but did have exposure to family law cases involving domestic violence through clerking for Judge Christina Rankin of the Alaska Superior Court and Justices Daniel E. Winfree and Jude Pate of the Alaska Supreme Court.

To attorneys considering volunteering with ANDVSA, Jake says that “even if you don’t think you’re going to know all the answers right away, you are a resource for your client that they’re not going to get anywhere else.” Volunteer attorneys “shouldn’t feel like they have to know everything to take a case.” Jake also used resources from ANDVSA such as the Volunteer Family Law Manual, which had “all of the crimes of domestic violence that we had to prove – they were just listed out in the handbook.” The ANDVSA resources made it much easier to navigate a less familiar area of law.

Jake’s client wasn’t a U.S. citizen, so her case had some added complexity, but Jake believes that obtaining the long-term protective order “made her realize that she did have agency over her situation.” What’s more, the protective order will be a crucial piece to “getting her to the ultimate divorce outcome she needs.”

Jake is a lifelong Alaskan, and he attended University of Alaska Fairbanks where he received a BA in political science and economics. He then attended UC Berkeley School of Law, graduating in 2022, but he always knew that he wanted to return to Alaska for its great community and outdoor access.

Professionally, Jake is looking forward to developing his litigation practice. In his free time, Jake enjoys pruning his planted aquarium, exploring local trails with his new puppy, Magic, and playing soccer.

Thank you for all your hard work, Jake!