2011 Fellowships
ERICA BRAUDY
Housing Works
Through the generous funding I received through the CUNY Law School Public Interest Law Association (PILA) this summer, I was able to pursue an unpaid internship at Housing Works, one of the largest service providers for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in the entire country. Housing Works fights relentlessly to end homelessness and AIDS by providing legal and other lifesaving services, job training, housing, support and advocacy. As the Individual Client Services legal intern, I worked on a diverse set of issues including government benefits, housing, consumer, LGBTQ rights, family, and other areas of the law. Every week, I ran a legal intake clinic meeting with dozens of clients throughout the summer. I wrote many legal documents, including motions to dismiss, orders to show cause, HP actions and poor person’s requests. I researched case law and statutes to make strong arguments for our clients to stop an eviction process, buy the client more time or sue a landlord for failure to make overdue repairs. If not for the funding PILA provided, I would not have been able to work full-time this summer, and have such an important and impactful experience working with the great staff attorneys and clients of Housing Works. So, thanks!
MADELINE PORTA
Immigrant Defense Project
The Public Interest Law Association Fellowship enabled me to work with the Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) during the summer of 2011. IDP promotes a transformation of the criminal justice and immigration systems so that they do not result in the exile of immigrants from their homes and families in the United States. They also seek to minimize deportation and detention under current laws for immigrants facing criminal charges or subsequent deportation. During the summer, I completed a large research project on the history of immigration consequences of criminal convictions and pleas, which will be used by the organization as it pursues post-conviction relief impact litigation cases in the aftermath of the landmark US Supreme Court ruling in Padilla v. Kentucky. Additionally, I answered the hotline and worked with defense attorneys, immigration attorneys, and those directly affected by the criminal and immigration systems regarding the immigration consequences of criminal pleas and convictions. My experience at IDP was incredibly helpful for me since I am pursuing a career in public defense. Without the PILA Fellowship I would have been unable to participate in this internship. I do not have outside sources of income, and have been relying on my own work to support myself for over a decade. Since student loans do not extend to the summer and most public interest law organizations cannot afford to pay their interns, a PILA fellowship was my only option. My experience at IDP enabled me to become much more familiar with both immigration and criminal laws, and how they intersect. I was able to meet other public defenders and work directly with other attorneys representing people with immigration issues. This will be an asset to my public defense career, but most importantly it will benefit my future clients.
JEAN STEVENS
Legal Services New York City, Foreclosure Prevention Unit
I spent my summer in the Foreclosure Prevention Unit with Queens Legal Services in Jamaica, Queens. If I had not received summer funding through the PILA fellowship, I would have been forced to take some summer courses solely to receive financial aid. I would have left work and headed straight to class, four nights a week, for three hours each night. I would have had no time to do my homework, and no rest from the day. I would have also spent my weekends neck-deep in work. My performance at my internship would have suffered immensely, due to my exhaustion and struggle to learn all of my class material in addition to that of my internship. I would have been a far more inefficient, incompetent, and grumpy intern. My summer would have been completely unenjoyable and I doubt I would have learned nearly as much. I would have also worried about the additional bulk of loans I’d be forced to take out to cover my classes, just more to shoulder upon graduation. That worry would have inhibited me further in completing my work and absorbing as much as I possibly could from the experience. The fellowship was thus incredibly valuable to me. It felt like an enormous pressure had been lifted, allowing me to really learn and absorb the most from my summer legal experience. I cannot imagine how I would have proceeded through the summer without it.
JACOB AGRON
Progressive States Network
This summer I had the fortunate opportunity to work as a legal intern for the Progressive States Network (PSN). PSN is a nonprofit organization that works with state legislators across the country in targeted policy areas. While at PSN, I worked on state immigration policy. I researched and wrote reports on various issues impacting immigrant rights at the state level. I also worked one on one with state legislators in order to build a network of elected officials for progressive immigration policy. My experience and the work I produced would not have been possible without my PILA fellowship.
MICHAEL RAGO
The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice
This past summer I worked at the Juvenile Rights Practice of The Legal Aid Society. I was one of the interns who assistant the attorneys handling abuse and neglect proceedings. Legal Aid attorneys in the Juvenile Rights Practice represent children in family court. This role is especially important as children in abuse and neglect proceedings are not usually in the courtroom during proceedings as the point of the Family Court is to provide non-punitive and rehabilitative services to abuse and neglectful parent(s), while the child maintains as normal a live as possible while such proceedings are ongoing. I conducted extensive legal research in several areas of dealing with the Family Court Act and New York State Family Law case law. One of the most interesting legal research assignments was determining what the exact role for the attorney-for-the child is in an abuse and neglect proceeding. I was also able to partake in visiting the clients in both a mental health center and a foster home service. Finally, I was also able to make several appearances on the record on a range of issues including pre-trial conferences, return of services matters, and permanency hearings (a check-up on how the child is doing in foster care). The experience and knowledge I gained during this past internship cannot be fully measured. What can be measured, however, is the amount of support that this year’s PILA Fellowship gave me. Without the funding, my summer at Queens JRP would not have happened.
MAGGIE PALMER
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Regional Counsel
This past summer I worked in the Office of Regional Counsel at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3 Office in Philadelphia, PA. I worked in hazardous waste site remediation enforcement, which basically means that I spent my time going after people who violated federal environmental laws by illegally disposing hazardous wastes, threatening human health and the environment. This summer I worked on a variety of enforcement actions for the EPA. I also conducted legal research on a variety of subjects from farmers’ exemptions in pesticide law to federal police powers. My work this summer exposed me to all of the various federal environmental laws. I worked most closely with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. This Act gives the federal government the ability to prosecute people who improperly dispose hazardous wastes. I also worked with the Clean Water Act. With the Clean Water Act I assisted my supervising attorney in developing an enforcement strategy against a municipality for storm water violations.
KATHLEEN THOMAS
Saheli Sangh
I spent my summer internship working at Saheli Sangh, a sex workers’ collective based in the Red Light Area of Pune, India. Saheli is run by and for sex workers to support and empower women working in the sex work trade through collective action. I worked as a legal intern with Saheli’s lawyer on a case involving a police raid in the brothels. In January of this year, the police, backed by a rescue mission non-governmental organization (NGO), conducted a “raid and rescue” and removed 54 women from the brothels. I spent the majority of my time drafting briefs and applications to submit before the varies Indian Ministries, and conducting legal research on Indian and International law that pertains to human trafficking, rescued victims, and sex work. I worked closely with the lawyer and the director in efforts to discover the whereabouts of the four members of Saheli who had been picked up in the raid. My research was used to argue before the Ministries in order to gain access to the files of the four members and find out where the state had placed them once they were rescued. In addition, my legal research is being used to build Saheli’s case for the numerous International Human Rights and Indian constitutional rights violations against the members to be argued before the High Court. The PILA scholarship money went beyond me not having to worry about my living expenses, but also went to work related costs that were otherwise not available. I am sincerely grateful to PILA for providing me with the financial resources that enabled me to be useful to an organization that fights for the betterment of the sex worker community.
ALEX VAN SCHAICK
International Rights Advocates
Alex van Schaick interned in Bogotá, Colombia with International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates), an organization that supports the victims of human rights abuses committed by transnational corporations through innovative litigation. Alex worked with Terry Collingsworth, a leader in Alien Tort Claims Act litigation, on cases against U.S. multinationals charged with aiding and abetting Colombian paramilitaries to violently repress union activity. As part of his internship, he wrote memos on civil procedure, choice of law questions, prudential exhaustion requirements and other issues triggered in complex federal and state litigation stemming from unlawful acts committed abroad.
VERONICA JOYA
The Legal Aid Society, Immigration Law Unit
This past summer I worked at the Immigration Law Unit of the Legal Aid Society in New York City. I chose to work at the Immigration Law Unit because I sought to gain experience in immigration defense and deportation advocacy. I have worked in direct services for many years and find it incredibly rewarding to provide, in a sense, an affirmative response for immigrants in this country, particularly women of color. However, with the increased criminalization of immigrant communities, I believe effective immigration defense advocacy is essential. A the Legal Aid Society, I worked on several different immigration cases, the majority of which involved clients in removal proceedings on account of criminal convictions. I gained hands-on experience developing legal arguments in support of defenses against deportation as well as the components of applications for relief, including preparation of client witnesses and affidavits. I also had the opportunity to perform the direct examination of witnesses at immigration court. The internship provided me not only with necessary skills to become an effective advocate, most important of all; it gave me the opportunity to work closely with immigrants from all over the world.
BLAKELY DECKTOR
Women’s Link Worldwide
The summer of 2011 I had the opportunity to travel to Bogotá Colombia and work for an amazing NGO called Women’s Link Worldwide. I had an incredible learning experience at Women’s Link that I could not have otherwise had without the fellowship I received from the Public Interest Law Association. Women’s Link Worldwide is an international human rights organization with the mission of promoting gender equality around the world and the specific goal of bridging the gap between rights women have on paper and rights women can actually access in reality. While at the organization I worked on a variety of projects including drafting follow-up materials for a successful case the organization had brought before the Inter-American Commission on Human rights for the prevention of gender-based violence in internal displacement camps in Haiti. I also worked on a legal campaign urging the United State’s to lift its ban on humanitarian aid for abortion services for women who have been raped during armed conflict. I completed the summer feeling as though I had significantly strengthened my research and writing skills and received valuable guidance and feedback from my supervising attorneys. I learned a great deal about the impact NGO’s have within international law. The summer in Bogotá was thrilling both personally and professionally. I am extremely grateful to the Public Interest Law Association for making this unforgettable experience possible.
ALEXANDRA SMITH
Legal Aid Society, Prisoner’s Rights Project
This summer I interned at the Legal Aid Society’s Prisoners’ Rights Project. While I was really excited about my summer internship, my experience this summer surpassed my high expectations. Prior to attending law school, I worked within the realm of prison reform advocacy. I decided to attend law school so that I could gain a legal training to be able to fight against the prison system’s abuse of incarcerated people, as well as to advocate against the criminalization of low-income community members. Through my previous professional experience, I have come to greatly admire the work of the Prisoners’ Rights Project. It has always been my dream to be able to gain experience working for an organization specifically dedicated to advocating for incarcerated people, who are so often forgotten by society. Although I previously advocating for people within the New York state prison system, I have not had the opportunity to advocate for individuals within the city’s jail system. Since these systems are so different, I was eager to be able to learn more about the city jail system in order to develop a deeper knowledge about people’s experiences within it. I spent this summer doing just that. This summer, I investigated use of force incidents, where prisoners suffered abuse at the hands of the Department of Correction (DOC) staff. I was able to visit people in jail and to then write detailed letters demanding investigations in to these incidents, and to advocate more generally for people. I also spoke with prisoners on the phone, and sent emails to advocate on their behalf. Some of the issues I addressed this summer involved inadequate medical care, and harassment and abuse from the DOC staff. I found these experiences to be incredibly rewarding because I was able to see the impact of my advocacy efforts. The staff at the Prisoners’ Rights Project were really welcoming. I was able to participate in staff meetings, and to learn from their vast knowledge of the prison system. I was able to participate in the Practicing Law Institute’s Prison Law 2011 conference, where I was exposed to current issues within the field of prison litigation. At the conference, I learned from experts who presented on a wide range of topics, such as courtroom advocacy, as well as how to best advocate for clients within the confines of the Prison Litigation Reform Act. I was also able to attend writ court at Rikers Island, and to observe as a Legal Aid attorney represent prisoners who were challenging their disciplinary confinement sentences. It was really exhilarating to witness her argue a case, where she was successfully able to advocate for the release of her client from disciplinary confinement. These experiences would not have been possible without the Public Interest Law Association fellowship that I received. Since this internship was unpaid, without the fellowship I literally would not have been able to support myself while doing this meaningful work. Since I intend to build upon these experiences in my career as a lawyer, this summer provided me with an important foundation in a field in which I hope to practice. I am extremely grateful to PILA for providing me with the funding to have such an incredible summer. I have returned to law school this semester, fueled by all I have learned, deeply committed to advocating for people ensnared in the criminal justice system in the future.
LAUREN PAULK
Legal Services New York City, The Legal Support Unit
This past summer, I was lucky enough to be granted a PILA scholarship. I spent the summer at Legal Services, in their Legal Support Unit. As interns, we were allowed to choose projects to work on that corresponded to various portions areas of law. It was so nice to be able to have a sampling of the different types of law, and to see what the day in the life of a supervising attorney looks like. My internship taught me some about what I don’t want to do and some about what I do want to do (education law and family law were both really interesting to me, and I wish I could have worked more on those). It also left me a bit less scared about my future. I met people—some who had been with the company for over 20 years—that still loved their jobs. As a 1L, meeting attorneys, many of them jokingly told me I should leave law school while I could still get out. Working at Legal Services confirmed for me that the key to success and longevity in lawyering is to work where your passion is. Only then can you find a stride that keeps you excited about work, and happy to do what you do. So, thanks to PILA, and thanks to Legal Services, I am not scared to go out into the world and practice law. On the contrary, I am ecstatic about what is to come!
2010 Fellowships
Alison Mitchel
Judge Sheryl L. Parker, Kings County Supreme Court – Criminal Term
During the summer of 2010 I worked with Judge Sheryl L. Parker in Kings County Supreme Court – Criminal Term. I worked with the Judge but I was also under the direct supervision of Judge Parker’s law clerk, Gabriela Lukas. Ms. Lukas is responsible for assisting the Judge with legal research and drafts of court decisions. Judge Parker sits in the juvenile offender court part and she is also a trial judge. During the summer I was able to observe different evidentiary hearings. After the hearings, the Judge asked me to write a summary of the facts given by the testifying witnesses. I was then able to compare my factual summaries to the Judge’s summaries. These hearings gave me an opportunity to see what facts were pertinent and learn more about the applicable law to the legal issue instead of including every fact that the witness’ stated. Judge Parker is also randomly assigned to respond to various motions made by defendants regarding a conviction or sentence that occurred at the trial court level. I was given the opportunity to read some of the motions that were made. I was also asked to conduct legal research using the court house library to draft my own version of the decision. The Judge and Ms. Lukas then critiqued my writing and legal analysis. It was a great experience and I was able to learn the way that the Judge approaches a legal issue and how she drafts decisions.
Golden McCarthy
Safe Horizon Immigration Law Project
Thanks to my Public Interest Lawyers Association fellowship, I had the opportunity to work as a legal intern for Safe Horizon Immigration Law Project. My internship allowed me to strengthen my lawyering skills of oral and written advocacy for undocumented victims of crimes and asylum applicants. One of my first projects involved writing an appeals brief based on a denied application for U visa status. USCIS denied our client’s application because they did not find her harm “substantial.” While writing the brief, I spent many hours obtaining medical records and letters for our client in order to provide evidence to immigration that there was substantial harm. It was a difficult task, but after I put everything together my supervising attorney agreed that we had made a strong case that was likely to win. I felt victorious! Beyond the practical skills I learned in becoming a better public interest lawyer, in my internship, I realized the harsh consequences of a broken immigration system. I worked with undocumented women, victims of domestic abuse, who lived in the shadows. They were afraid to speak out against their abuser for fear of being deported and being separated from their children. I hope to continue my work in advocating for comprehensive immigration reform in order to a more fair and just system. I came to CUNY because of its strong public interest mission, and I hope to be an alumni this school and community will be proud to have. I am grateful that PILA gave me that opportunity. It also makes me even more committed to making sure future CUNY students have the same opportunity.
John Ting
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey
John Ting interned at Catholic Charities Archdiocese in Newark, New Jersey with its immigration department. The primary focus of his internship centered on working with clients facing removal orders in court. His tasks included: interview consultees, draft affidavits, represent clients in court proceedings, and draft examination questions. Each week, there were two days of consultations, in which potential clients walk in the office for a period of two hours each of those days. This internship provided John an extensive understanding of the complexities of immigration law and the dire consequences against families.
Kathleen Musich
Nassau County Attorney’s Office
Katie’s PILA fellowship gave her the opportunity to work in the housing advocacy bureau at the Nassau County Attorney’s Office. Katie was able to assist with the county fair housing plan, researched for meetings and responses, helped create a fair housing training plan, and wrote memos. She was also able to attend the mortgage foreclosure clinics and sit in on the mandatory settlement conferences for homeowners in foreclosure. One of Nassau County’s partners in fighting housing and employment discrimination is the Nassau County Commission on Human Rights. There, Katie was able to assist by creating a protocol for reporting discrimination complaints, read and create a summary of employment discrimination complaints, attend two party conferences with employers and employees, write witness questions for fact-finding investigations, and write probable cause determinations. Katie is so thankful to PILA for the opportunity and enjoyed her internship so much she stayed for the fall.
Katherine Wentzel
Urban Justice Center
The Public Interest Law Association fellowship allowed me to spend my summer as a legal intern for the Urban Justice Center’s Mental Health Project. It was a great experience and allowed me hands on experience in several different areas of law and taught me the importance of working with a client base that is often overlooked and greatly in need of legal services. My assignments ranged from researching the difficulties inmates with mental health issues have in obtaining parole to preparing a report for a supervisor on combating inadequacies with one of New York City’s Offices of Adjudication and Resolution for Social Security claims. My favorite assignment included working on a large class action suit focusing on discharge planning services and access to mental health treatment in New York City jails, which involved going to several New York City jails to interview class members. It was an invaluable opportunity that opened my eyes to the inadequacies of the criminal justice system with respect to its views on mental health. Because of this opportunity I now plan to pursue a legal career in criminal defense with a focus on helping clients diagnosed with mental illness. My summer experience would not have been possible without the generosity of the Public Interest Law Association and its supporters, to whom I am forever grateful.
Kelly Fay Rodríguez
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
I worked in the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (“FCCS”, formerly the “Coordination and Review Section”) of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. The section primarily enforces non-discrimination laws among recipients of federal financial assistance under Title VI. The highlight was working on the case against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona for racial profiling and discrimination. I listened to weekly strategy meetings, reviewed investigatory correspondence and completed legal research. I also witnessed the affects of national politics and the Division’s suit against Arizona’s SB 1070 affected our case. I saw the benefits and challenges of social justice lawyering inside the federal government. The Division’s internship program introduced me to the work of the various sections including Voting Rights, Housing and Education. I met with Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez several times, and even attended the First Lady’s agency visit. I also took advantage of other local activities including panel discussions with Latino legislators, advocates and Executive appointees. I reconnected with my former Obama campaign organizers who are doing phenomenal work at the EPA, HHS and in the White House. This unique and rewarding opportunity was only possible thanks to PILA.
Marita Robinson
Sitka Tribe of Alaska
Thanks to my Public Interest Lawyers Association fellowship, I had the opportunity to work as a legal intern for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska in Summer 2010. Under the Tribal attorney’s supervision, I gained valuable experience and knowledge ranging from a basic understanding of Alaska Native tribal law, to lawyering skills, Contracts, and Tribal sovereignty and jurisdictional issues. One of my first projects involved researching a copyright infringement issue, where a piece of artwork created by a Tribal citizen and owned by the Tribe was being improperly displayed in a hotel in another city. Researching this issue allowed me to learn a bit more about the artistry of Tling’it woodcarving, and that it is indeed a living art form. I also gained some valuable practice in presenting a relatively simple issue to the clients (Tribal Council members) and other staff at the meeting. More generally, this issue highlighted some weaknesses in my research methods and communication skills, which I consider valuable information for my continued study of the law, as well as my prospective work after graduation. This project also demonstrated the human element embedded in the legal issue, and it reinforced my commitment to become a CUNY Law graduate who strives to practice law in the service of human needs. I am truly grateful to PILA for the funding that made my summer internship possible.
2009 Fellowships
Yasmin Dwedar, 2011
Legal Unit, Manhattan Borough President’s Office
Yasmin’s PILA Fellowship allowed her to work in the Legal Unit ofthe Manhattan Borough President’s Office. There, she learned how to research and analyze legal memoranda on a variety of legal issues related to public policy and litigation. Yasmin was also afforded the opportunity to research arguments for a Court of Appeals amicus briefinvolving improper rent increases on rent-controlled/rent-stabilized housing. Yasmin also assisted in organizing and conducting outreach for community meetings andhelped with legal intake on employment cases and naturalization matters. “I had such a positive and meaningful experience interning at the Manhattan Borough President’s Office and my PILA fellowship helped make that possible,” Yasmin said.
Patrick Foster, 2011
While at the EPA Patrick had a dual posting atthe Office of Regional Counsel (ORC) and the Office of Enforcement, Compliance and Environmental Justice (OECEJ). His work forthe ORC focused on reviewing regulatory files andassisting lead counsel on a multimedia enforcement matter. Half of Patrick’s clerkship was spent in OECEJ working on environmental justice policy. Patrick learned daily of the plight of urban and rural cases of environmental justice throughout the diverse states in Region III. The most visceral example of the need for remediation in communities came from a site visit to Chester, PA with representatives from the Region III environmental justiceteam, the Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Coordinator and the Director of Environmental Justice from EPA Headquarters. In Chester the group met with community leaders concerned with on-going environmental problems. The visit was as an example of institutionalized racism and classism in the form of environmental burdening.
Bradley Parker, 2010
Defence for Children International
Brad interned at Defence for Children InternationalPalestine Section (DCI-Palestine) in Ramallah, Palestine. DCI-Palestine is a Palestinian child rights organization, affiliated with aninternational movement that represents and advocates on behalf of Palestinian children living in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.At DCI-Palestine, Bard analyzed testimonies from eyewitnesses and victims of human rights violations and conducted legal research in order to draft various reports on Palestinian child rights violations. Brad contributed to DCI-Palestines submission to the UN Fact Finding Mission on Gaza, headed by Justice Richard Goldstone. Brad also attended and participated in both internal advocacy planning meetings and external meetings with various UN bodies, including meetings at the local UNICEF country office to discuss child protection issues and human rights violations documented by DCI-Palestine. He also supported the legal defense of Palestinian children charged in Israeli military courts. Brad thanks PILA and says, “Without the financial support from PILA this opportunity would not have been possible.”
Mona Patel, 2010
The PILA fellowship enabled Mona to intern with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan at their office in Detroit. Mona was primarily tasked with preparing memos that addressed numerous issues in preparation for filing a civil action involving a Detroit ordinance that criminalized “loitering in a place of illegal occupation.” The issues Mona analyzed included whether the ordinance was an impermissible strict liability law and whether the ACLU had viable claims under the void-for-vagueness doctrine, the Fourth Amendment and the First Amendment. In addition to the legal research and writing, she investigated unlawful courtroom practices in Michigan that inherently criminalized poverty. This internship provided Mona with an extensive understanding of the institutionalized racism from which Detroit suffers and an opportunity to battle the resulting civil rights violations through litigation.
Davida Silverman, 2010
Over the summer, Davida interned with the National Center for Youth Law in Oakland, CA. This organization is dedicated to improving the lives of children in poverty and foster youth. Her summer was split between working on a class-action lawsuit to improve the Las Vegas foster care system and working on policy to improve institutional provisions for adolescent health. The work was challenging and interesting and the attorneys were inspiring. Davida is greatly appreciative to PILA for the opportunity to work at such a wonderful organization and says, “I could not have had this experience without the fellowship.”
Kendall Stagg, 2011
Clark County Public Defenders Office
Kendall spent the summer working for thePublic Defender in Las Vegas one of the busiest public defendersoffices in the nation. Kendall’s internshipinvolved extensive contact withclients, trial preparation, and regular courtroom attendance.The legal proceedings Kendall observed includedarraignments, preliminary hearings in justice court, misdemeanortrials in justice court, felony trials indistrict court, andsentencing in district court. Primarily he performed legal research and legal writing supporting the work of public defenders handling a variety of matters. Kendall alsoengaged in client interviews andcounseling with defendants who were facing misdemeanor charges.
Jennifer Wallner, 2010
Kathryn A. McDonald Education Advocacy Project at the Legal Aid Society
Jenny interned at the Kathryn A. McDonald Education Advocacy Project at the Legal Aid Society. This projects aims to ensure that children in the child welfare system receive the appropriate special education services. Jenny worked closely with law guardians (lawyers representing children in family court proceedings) to make sure that those children were receiving the appropriate special education services in school. She went to schools throughout New York City and Westchester to assess whether clients were receiving the services they were entitled to by law, and if not, find ways to make sure their rights were not being violated. This internship was a wonderful experience for Jenny. It solidified her interest in education law, an area I hope to practice once completing law school.