Equal Justice Works Names 2018 Class of Fellows
Sixty-seven recent law school graduates will spend the next two years improving access to legal services for underserved communities across the nation.
This class of Fellows received sponsorship from 73 law firms, corporations, foundations, municipal entities, and individual donors committed to improving access to our justice system nationwide.
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Equal Justice Works, the leading nonprofit organization committed to mobilizing the next generation of public interest attorneys, today announced its 2018 Class of Equal Justice Works Fellows. Sixty-seven recent law school graduates will launch their public interest law careers through an Equal Justice Works Fellowship project of their own design.
Selected from 446 applications, the 2018 Class of Equal Justice Works Fellows includes graduates from 40 law schools who will work at 64 nonprofit legal services organizations in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Among this year's sponsors are 35 leading law firms and 19 Fortune 500 corporations.
"Equal Justice Works offers recent law school graduates a unique opportunity to pursue their passion for public service by designing their own Fellowship projects aimed at addressing an emerging or complex legal issue in an underserved community," said Sara Morello, Executive Vice President at Equal Justice Works. "We are proud to support these Fellows and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in the communities they serve."
The 2018 Class of Equal Justice Works Fellows have created projects to address a wide range of legal issues. Examples of these projects include:
- Hammad Alam will advocate for Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian students and families who are victims of school bullying in San Bernardino County. Hammad, a graduate of University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, is sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP and will be hosted at Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Los Angeles.
- Oshuteiya Emenike will represent tenants in Liberty City, a historically black neighborhood with significant poverty in Miami, by preventing evictions and enforcing the right to safe and habitable housing. Oshuteiya, a graduate of University of Miami School of Law, is sponsored by the Florida Bar Foundation, and will serve at Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc.
- Jenna Goldberg will create a Medical-Legal Partnership in support of veterans' applications for benefits before military correction boards and the VA. A graduate of Duke University School of Law, Jenna will be hosted at the National Veterans Legal Services Program in Washington, D.C. She is co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation and Hogan Lovells US LLP.
- Lauren DesRosiers will serve undocumented LGBTQ survivors of hate violence by improving access to holistic legal services at the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. Lauren is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and is co-sponsored by Bloomberg L.P. and Proskauer Rose LLP.
- Peter Weiss will defend immigrants with past criminal convictions through direct representation in immigration court, legislative advocacy, and partnership with the Santa Clara County Public Defender Office. A graduate of University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, he will be hosted by Pangea Legal Services. Peter is co-sponsored by Hewlett Packard Enterprise and the City of San Jose.
Each year, Equal Justice Works selects a class of passionate public interest lawyers who have designed projects in conjunction with nonprofit legal services organizations to respond to unmet legal needs in their communities. The projects are funded by the generous support of law firms, corporations, foundations, and individual donors. Many of the law firms and corporate legal departments utilize their sponsorship to expand pro bono opportunities, encouraging legal and non-legal staff to help provide services to individuals who could not otherwise afford them.
Over the past three decades, Equal Justice Works has awarded more than 2,000 Fellowships to lawyers committed to public service. More than 85 percent of Fellows remain in public service positions, continuing to create possibilities for underserved communities across the country.
Click here for a full list of the 2018 Equal Justice Works Fellows, host organizations, and sponsors.
About Equal Justice Works
Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a just society by mobilizing the next generation of attorneys committed to equal justice. In collaboration with the nation's leading law schools, law firms, corporate legal departments, and nonprofit organizations, Equal Justice Works offers a continuum of opportunities that provide the training and skills that enable attorneys to provide effective representation to underserved communities and causes. Visit www.equaljusticeworks.org for more information.
Contact:
Heena Patel
Communications Manager
Phone: 202-466-3686
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Equal Justice Works
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