You never forget your first case. And I know I’ll never forget the case I was helping with as I transitioned from law student to licensed attorney: a pro bono case on behalf of a profoundly vulnerable Atlanta family.

Ms. Joel (a pseudonym) and her two grandchildren lived in their apartment for only one month before the moisture seeping in around their poorly-sealed windows caused the first trace of mold to appear. Soon, mold covered their walls, windows, and floors. Much of their clothing, shoes and furniture—even the children’s toys—got damaged or destroyed. To make matters worse, Ms. Joel’s granddaughter suffers from asthma, and the mold exacerbated her breathing problems.