Wilburn Fellow

•  Environment Texas Research and Policy Center • Jeavon Ehler, 2L 

McKool Fellow

Hagans Fellows

• Attorney General of Texas—Shared Parenting Program • Sarah Bryant, 2L
• Cook County Public Guardian’s Office • Marsha Perez, 2L
• Disability Rights Texas • Tyler Rutherford, 2L
• Federal Communications Commission—Office of Inspector General • Kristen Monkhouse, 2L
• Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Northern District of Texas • Philip Harris, 2L
• Harris County District Attorney • Kenneth Bier, 2L
• Harris County District Attorney • Stephanie  Matherne , 2L
• Harris County District Attorney • Sage Stone, 2L
• Knox County Public Defender—Community Law Office • Sara Schaefer, 2L
• United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas • Willis Chambers, 2L
• United States Citizenship and Immigration Services • Karen Baker, 2L
• United States Department of Energy—Office of the General Counsel • Lindsay Blumenthal, 2L
• United States Department of Justice—Disability Rights Section • Julia Quinn, 2L
• United States Department of State—Bureau of Legislative Affairs • Julie  Crocker, 2L

TLF Fellows

• Catholic Charities • Alexandra Gutierrez, 1L 
• Congressman Beto O’Rourke • Ana Martinez, 1L
• Disability Rights Texas • Karly Peterson, 1L
• Disability Rights Texas • Rikka Strong, 1L
• International Justice Mission • Joey Piorkowski, 1L
• Texas Civil Rights Project • Jessica Johnson, 1L
• United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California • Christopher Larson, 1L
• United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas • Nikki Lockhart, 1L
• United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas • Chen Zhang, 1L
• United States Citizenship and Immigration Services • Andrea Meza, 1L
• United States Department of Energy—Office of the General Counsel • James Babikian, 1L
• Washington Defender Association • Nora Gay, 1L

PUBLIC INTEREST ATTORNEY
David Hinojosa (MALDEF)

PRIVATE ATTORNEY
Virginia Raymond

FACULTY
Michele Deitch

STUDENT
Megan Sheffield

What your money buys.

The money raised by TLF goes straight to funding public interest fellowships.  Each dollar you donate helps three sets of people: A worthy public interest organization gets help it desperately needs; people who can’t afford legal services get free assistance; and UT Law students get valuable real-world legal experience in a tough legal market.

Who gets the fellowships.

After we identify how many fellowships are available, we sort the candidates by the number of votes received. Two thirds of all fellowships are awarded by membership vote. A committee selects the remaining one third of fellowship recipients based on each applicant’s commitment to public service.  We then grant as many fellowships as we can, awarding them based on voting results.

 2013 TLF Candidates

Attorney General of Texas—Shared Parenting Program • Sarah Bryant, 2L

Parents without access to legal counsel are often given default possession orders that are not appropriate for their family arrangement.  My internship will focus on improving support systems for Texas children in two ways: first, by working to bring parents into compliance with appropriate possession orders through issue identification, negotiation, and pro se coaching; second, by drafting “self-help” information so that all families are given the tools they need to advocate for themselves.

Catholic Charities • Alexandra Gutierrez, 1L

This summer I’ll be working for Catholic Charities, an organization that helps immigrants become naturalized citizens, or residents. As an intern, I’ll be interviewing clients from all walks of life in preparation to compile their case file. I’ll then be collecting evidence, composing declarations, and procuring relevant state records to include in those files. Finally, I’ll send their file to the Government so that spouses, siblings, parents, or children can call themselves American citizens.

Congressman Beto O’Rourke • Ana Martinez, 1L

I will be a legislative intern for Congressman O’Rourke’s 16th District Office in Washington, DC.  My duties will include conducting research on the Congressman’s top legislative issues, writing memos, and attending congressional briefings and hearings.  Currently, the 16th District Office is working on sponsoring and drafting legislation dealing with issues that include immigration reform, veteran affairs, energy and the environment, and national security.  One of my main tasks will be to conduct legal research on immigration and the US/Mexican border.

Cook County Public Guardian’s Office • Marsha Perez, 2L

Cook County Public Guardian’s Office in Chicago is the only law office of its kind, representing disadvantaged children in various capacities. As a Juvenile Division intern, I will receive formal training on interviewing child clients, as well as practical experience assisting attorneys in advocating for children/youth in Cook County’s juvenile court.  The second portion of the summer, I will assist Texas Advocacy Project, in helping to provide free legal services statewide to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Disability Rights Texas • Karly Peterson, 1L

Disability Rights Texas is a federally designated organization dedicated to the legal protection and advocacy of people living with disabilities in Texas. This summer, I will work with the organization to provide direct legal assistance to qualified individuals and groups, advance public policies that promote and expand the rights of people with disabilities, and educate individuals and their families about their rights and resources. My particular service priorities will include accessibility, education, employment, health care, and housing rights.

Disability Rights Texas • Tyler Rutherford, 2L

Disability Rights Texas helps disabled Texans assert and defend their legal rights. My job will involve representing clients is the areas of employment, housing, health care, special education, foster care, and access to community supports and services. The character of a society ought to be judged by how it treats those citizens with the least advantage; with your support, I will serve those facing discrimination, neglect, and abuse but without the resources to otherwise obtain legal assistance.

Disability Rights Texas • Rikka Strong, 1L

Disability Rights Texas advocates for people with a broad range of disabilities including developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, mental illnesses and emotional impairments.   Disability Rights Texas operates on the basic truth that all people have dignity and worth.  This summer, I will conduct legal research and writing, draft pleadings, and attend court hearings pertaining to issues including employment and housing discrimination, special education, foster care, healthcare, and access to community supports and services for people with disabilities.

Environment Texas Research and Policy Center • Jeavon Ehler, 2L

I will be working for the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center to help create tangible results for our environment. There is something special about the Texas Environment. Whether it is swimming at Barton Springs or hiking through Big Bend National park, there is something worth protecting and preserving for future generations. I am excited to be working with such a dedicated and passionate group of individuals this coming summer.

Federal Communications Commission—Office of Inspector General • Kristen Monkhouse, 2L

I will work for the Federal Communications Commission Office of Inspector General in Washington D.C.  The Office investigates claims of fraud, waste, and abuse in FCC programs and operations, which generally serves as the regulatory agency of our nation’s communications systems including radio, telephone, and cable.  I will be a part of an investigative team and will likely be doing a lot of document review as well as trial prep and legal research on the claims presented to the Office.

Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Northern District of Texas • Philip Harris, 2L

I will be working for the appellate division of the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.  I will be assisting an attorney in the office’s goal to provide effective counsel to federal defendants who cannot afford their own representation.  Specifically working with an appellate attorney I will work on briefs, conduct oral argument prep, and also assist at other stages of defense, including pretrial, trial and sentencing.

Harris County District Attorney • Kenneth Bier, 2L

I will be working for the Harris County DA’s Office in Houston over the summer. The type of work I expect to perform includes legal research and writing, trial preparation, victim/witness communications, and other matters involving the prosecution of criminal offenses.

Harris County District Attorney • Stephanie  Matherne , 2L

I will be spending my summer with the District Attorney in Harris County (Houston). Specifically, I will be working with prosecutors in the Family Criminal Law Division or the Child Abuse Division. I will be working with prosecutors to get justice and closure for survivors of abuse. My work will cover the spectrum of the prosecutorial process, and I will be assisting the ADAs with everything from investigation to trial preparation to actual litigation.

Harris County District Attorney • Sage Stone, 2L

Harris County, home to over four million people, is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office handles criminal cases and sponsors a variety of community initiatives to promote safety in the county.  This summer I will assist prosecutors by interviewing victims and witnesses, conducting legal research, and preparing cases for trial. I am looking forward to learning from both the prosecutors and also the victims and witnesses I will assist.

International Justice Mission • Joey Piorkowski, 1L

International Justice Mission (IJM): I have the unique opportunity to join a team of IJM attorneys in Southeast Asia (specifically Cebu, the Philippines) to help protect clients from sex trafficking, child prostitution, and unprosecuted rape.  In addition to assisting the attorneys in prosecuting the perpetrators, I will work with law enforcement investigators and after-care workers to aid in the rescue and rehabilitation of victims.

Knox County Public Defender—Community Law Office • Sara Schaefer, 2L

I will be working for the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office in Knoxville, TN. The office is a pioneer in holistic public defense, a model that works to address systemic and personal issues that contribute to a criminal charge. Besides providing zealous legal advocacy, the office provides comprehensive social services and helps the client navigate other community agencies. I am assigned to the DUI unit, where I will represent clients in court under supervision and complete legal research.

Texas Civil Rights Project • Jessica Johnson, 1L

This summer I have the privilege of clerking for Texas Civil Rights Project, a nonprofit organization that seeks to increase access to justice to underserved communities. TCRP focuses on the broader concepts of social, racial and economic justice as well as narrower issues such as  disability discrimination and free expression.  I will have some hands-on responsibilities such as investigation and client contact in addition to legal writing and research regarding some of the aforementioned topics. I’m looking forward to it!

Texas State Pharmacy Board, Texas Education Agency • Lia Powers, 2L

My legal work at the Texas State Pharmacy Board and the Texas Education Agency (assessing the legal sufficiency of complaints, researching legal issues and drafting allegations) will protect the interests of Texans and continue my history of public service. TSPB and TEA protect the public from practitioners who do not adhere to agency regulations. For example, TSPB attorneys protect the public health by bringing cases against pharmacies, doctors, and others who fail to follow laws regulating pharmaceuticals.

United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California • Christopher Larson, 1L

US Attorney’s Office, Central District of California – Civil Division.  As a summer law clerk, I will have the opportunity to work with Assistant US Attorneys in Los Angeles, providing legal research in preparation for both affirmative and defensive suits at the trial and appellate level on a broad range of civil litigation areas, including defense contractor and health care fraud, immigration, bankruptcy, employment discrimination, and Constitutional tort cases.

United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas • Willis Chambers, 2L

I will be interning with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, likely working with prosecutors in the Major Crimes Division, specifically on issues of human trafficking in conjunction with the Human Trafficking  Rescue Alliance.

United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas • Nikki Lockhart, 1L

I am working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Houston in the Public Corruption criminal section. I will be assisting Assistant U.S. Attorney’s in all aspects of their work including legal research, writing, trial and witness preparation, and all other aspects of their day to day work.

United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas • Chen Zhang, 1L

I will be working as a volunteer legal intern in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, located in Houston. I have been tentatively assigned to the frauds section, which handles the prosecution of white collar crimes. I expect to be engaged in both research and writing as well as the various phases of litigation. I hope to participate in trial and witness preparation, observe court proceedings, attend depositions and mediations, and the like.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services • Karen Baker, 2L

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a federal agency that administers a variety of programs and procedures for lawful immigration to the country. Activities include reviewing and processing asylum applications through the agency’s humanitarian program, overseeing the naturalization process for those wishing to become citizens, and helping immigrants obtain work permits. As an intern, I will develop a thorough understanding of how USCIS operates, how immigration benefits are obtained, and how immigration policy is implemented.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services • Andrea Meza, 1L

I will be working as a clerk with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the San Antonio field office. I will complete various reading assignments, research projects, and writing assignments designed to augment my knowledge of immigration law.  In addition I will meet officials representing various government agencies that are part of the immigration process, and experience the different functions of the field office by attending events such as Naturalization Ceremonies and meetings with the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

United States Department of Energy—Office of the General Counsel • James Babikian, 1L

The Litigation and Enforcement Division of U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of the General Counsel represents the U.S. government in cases involving federal energy laws and regulations, or DOE operations such as those at Los Alamos National Laboratory.   As an intern, I will have the opportunity to assist DOE attorneys with drafting litigation materials needed to enforce energy-efficiency standards in federal court. Moreover, I will also assist DOE attorneys in researching and preparing for lawsuits against the United States.

United States Department of Energy—Office of the General Counsel • Lindsay Blumenthal, 2L

I will be working in the Office of the General Counsel at the United States Department of Energy. The Office of the General Counsel provides legal counsel and advice to the Secretary and program offices in order to further the Department’s mission of ensuring the national, economic, and energy security of the United States through innovative technological solutions to contemporary energy and environmental challenges.

United States Department of Justice—Disability Rights Section • Julia Quinn, 2L

The Disability Rights Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities and guarantees equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.  As an intern, I will assist DRS in investigating allegations of discrimination against individuals with disabilities in violation of the ADA, conduct legal research, and prepare legal memoranda and briefs.

United States Department of State—Bureau of Legislative Affairs • Julie  Crocker, 2L

I will be working for the United States Department of State in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. The United States Department of State is the diplomatic arm of the United States of America and seeks to advance freedom for the benefit of the American people and the international community by helping to build and sustain a more democratic, secure, and prosperous world. The Bureau of Legislative Affairs coordinates the legislative activities to achieve the Department’s legislative priorities.

Washington Defender Association • Nora Gay, 1L

I will be interning with the Washington Defender Association, an organization devoted to improving the quality of indigent defense and increasing funding for public defense. Through WDA, I will also likely work with the Washington State Bar Association, the Innocence Network, the Innocence Project Northwest, and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. My work will focus on the potential fallibility of cross-racial eyewitness identification, ideally resulting in the submission of pattern jury instructions to the state bar for approval.

1. Your name, contact information, and year.
2. Your pro bono hours. Hours will be verified by the Pro Bono Program, so make sure you’ve reported your time.
3. An 80-word description of your employer and the work you will do. Think hard! Donors will see this description when donating on behalf of TLF applicants.
4. An essay, between 500 and 1000 words long, about:
   1. your commitment to public service;
   2. how you plan to use your TLF Fellowship;
   3. the reason you selected your sponsoring agency and what you hope to gain from your time there; and
   4. anything else you think the selection committee should know.
   5. Do not put your name on your essay.
5. A current resume with your name, GPA, and contact information removed.
6. A letter from your sponsoring organization stating that they have a position for you, that they are unable to pay you (or the amount they plan to pay you, if less than $4,000), the name of your supervising attorney, and the type of legal work you will perform.
7. Verification of your organization’s nonprofit status. Government agencies and international organizations are exempt from this requirement.

For more information about application requirements, click here.

]]> http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/2013-texas-law-fellowship-application/feed/ 0 http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-abby-anna-batko-taylor/ http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-abby-anna-batko-taylor/#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:00:17 +0000 Aaron http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/?p=1377 Travis County Mental Health Public Defender

The Travis County Mental Health Public Defender office provides legal representation to indigent mentally ill misdemeanor defendants in Travis County. Much of their work extends beyond legal representation to providing long-term support for clients to enable them to access medication, housing, and other services. The office has been in existence in Travis County for over four years, with the goal of preventing recidivism among seriously mentally ill clients and enabling long-term stabilization and treatment.

The work that I did this summer was a mix of legal defense and social work. I worked with clients in helping them understand their legal options in court, which many times involved their competency status. Clients who do not appear to be able to understand the charges against them or work productively with their attorney are referred to a psychiatrist to evaluate them for forensic competency. If they are found incompetent, they are referred to a psychiatric facility for treatment for a period of 60 days.

Much of my work involved meeting with clients in the Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle to explain the competency evaluation process and other legal issues to clients. For some of them, spending time in a mental health facility was something that they looked forward to and enjoyed. For other clients, particularly ones with manic symptoms, going to the hospital was very difficult for them. The process takes a long time, because even for clients who were referred to the hospital, there were not necessarily available treatment beds open for them. There is a maximum 21-day waiting period (currently being contested) in which a defendant may wait in jail to go to the mental health treatment facility.

In addition, I observed and worked with social workers who were managing various aspects of the legal client’s housing, medical and financial situation. I went to jail to pick clients up and work with them to re-acquire the basic necessities that they would need to start anew. Many clients were very unstable in their lifestyles; transient, without assets or family members. Their criminal charge and involvement was just one part of a larger web of challenges that they faced.

I researched and wrote an article for “Voice for the Defense” journal, a publication of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. My supervising attorney will submit the article to the magazine for publication.

Overall, I was struck by the diversity of the clients that we worked with. It seemed that no set of rules could encompass all of the individuals that we worked with. The social work focus of the office and legal practice was such an appropriate blend to adequately serve the clients that we dealt with.

 

]]> http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-abby-anna-batko-taylor/feed/ 0 http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-deanna-markowitz/ http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-deanna-markowitz/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:27:01 +0000 Aaron http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/?p=1357 Texas Defender Service

Texas Defender Service is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that represents prisoners on Texas’ death row in their post-conviction proceedings. This summer I worked with Texas Defender Service in Austin and learned from and worked with experienced death penalty attorneys. I had the opportunity to be involved with the representation of prisoners on Texas’ death row in post-conviction habeas proceedings, primarily in federal court. Additionally, I assisted with investigation and preparation for capital murder trials. I meet with inmates on death row to update them on the status of their appeals and to understand more the prison experience of those awaiting execution.

I will admit that working at Texas Defender Service was trying at times. Due to limited funding, TDS relies heavily on their interns for challenging research and writing projects. Additionally, the constant confrontation of callousness and injustice in the capital murder system as well as the tragic life stories of the inmates pre- and post-conviction was often heartbreaking. The experience at Texas Defender Service cemented my ambition to pursue a career in legal social justice, particularly in criminal defense. Ingrained within myself is an unyielding empathy of others less fortunate and a drive to direct my facilities towards improving the lives of others. I am very blessed to have the opportunity to learn from extraordinary lawyers while following my passion.

Thank you so much for supporting pro bono legal service and students like me. I am proud that I dedicated my summer to public interest law and I even more proud to go to the University of Texas School of Law that is committed to enabling students pursue public interest careers. I appreciate your generosity and I look forward to continuing my legal education and career.

TLF Homepage / Donate to TLF Now!

]]> http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-deanna-markowitz/feed/ 0 http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-jeremiah-walters/ http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-jeremiah-walters/#comments Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:00:55 +0000 Aaron http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/?p=1343 Nueces County District Attorney’s Office

This summer was my first practical foray into my chosen profession. Before this summer, I was naïve, ignorant, and completely confident in my grasp of how our criminal justice system operated. Pure logic, right? Here is the law, here is a person who broke the law, assess punishment, high fives are given for a job well done. Despite my complete lack of training, besides multiple seasons of Law and Order under my belt, I went into the office with my cup completely filled. “You never convict on circumstantial evidence.” “Cops have to tell you if they are cops no matter what, it’s the law.” “There has to be absolutely no doubt about the guilt or innocence of a person before someone can be convicted of a crime.” “The law is the law and that is it.”

I believed in every one of these completely stupid statements before this summer. But, day by day, my knowledge about how the law actually operates in the criminal arena began to grow and the antiquated concepts I used to believe with my whole heart began to disappear. As I gained real trial experience, help draft questions for voir dire, helped in investigations, witness victim and defendant statements, and conducted legal research for a capital murder case, the concept of justice within our criminal system became clearer. It’s like the Buddhist concept of kensho, not quite enlightenment, but one more lit candle to help you see the path. By summer’s end, I had become a little jaded, but wiser nonetheless. One assignment in particular stands out amongst all the rest in my pursuit of a better understanding of criminal law.

As mentioned before, I was afforded the opportunity to participate in conducting legal research for a capital murder case. I was approached by one of the attorney’s in the office after about five weeks on the job and was asked if I would help him with his upcoming capital murder case. I was absolutely elated! A real attorney asking me to help him personally with the mother of all charges! Without any hesitation whatsoever, I jumped at the chance and was on Lexis within a minute of the invitation. The attorney came into my little room and handed me the defendant’s file and told me to read up on the case and become familiar with the facts; “we may be going for the death penalty and we need to compile an entire history of this guy’s life to present to the jury on how worthless he is,” he said. So I sat there and read, line by line, about this incredibly heinous act. A son, taking his father’s life over nothing but a simple act of compassion for his daughter in-law; “you shouldn’t hit your wife in front of your daughter, a child should never see that,” were his last words before his son beat him into a coma that he never awoke from. I hated the defendant, I personally don’t believe in capital punishment, but after reading the arrest narrative I wanted this guy gone.

My research began; multiple RAP sheets from counties all over Texas, an NCIC which made you question how in the hell this guy was even out of prison to commit this act in the first place, pictures of his victims from past assault cases, statements from others who genuinely feared the utterance of this guy’s name. On paper, this guy deserved every silvery inch of the needle. I gave everything I had to come up with some redeeming quality, but came up with nothing. He was monster, a waste of humanity, a vile creature whose life deserved to be extinguished.

A few days into my research, I was given copies of his jail mail and his recorded conversations from the jail. After I read a few of his letters and heard a few of his calls, he became human to me again. His letters were filled with heart wrenching pleas to his wife to still love him regardless of what he did, letters to his daughter telling her to be a good girl and to take care of her momma while he was gone, and pictures of his daughter’s and wife’s favorite cartoon characters with his favorite bible passages attached. His voice would crackle and break every time his wife would hand the phone to his daughter. She was too young to speak or even understand anything he was saying, but he just wanted her to know that he loved her and couldn’t wait to see her again. Sitting there, I knew, given this guy’s history and the heinousness of his crime, he would never be able to touch his daughter ever again. This guy may escape with his life but he was never going to see the outside of a prison. I felt helpless because there was nothing I could do to help his situation. The prosecution’s job was not to present to the jury how much he loved his daughter but highlight his complete lack of remorse for what he had done.

I struggled with my failure every single night questioning whether my research was an integral part of deciding another human being’s fate. To ease my conscience, I tried to convince myself that it was just busy work. In the end though, my research was important and it was used to determine whether or not we were going to pursue the death penalty. By some miracle, against everything Texas stands for, we did not.

After the decision came down from the District Attorney, I decided to shadow the misdemeanor attorneys for a while and eventually ended up in JP court pursuing destruction of property charges against teenage biker kids. I guess you can say I got a taste of everything the DA’s office had to offer. I honestly would not trade this experience for anything, and TLF has my sincere gratitude for making it possible. Thank you so much.

So what did I learn? Law is a human concept imposed upon other humans to ensure the progression of society, and being a human entity, it is prone to mistakes, flaws and inconsistencies. Given these proclivities, it is our duty, as advocates of the law, to take great care in presenting and proving our cases against those we feel have broken the law and violated the terms of their social contract. But, we must always remember, despite the sometimes unyielding black letter of the law, we are determining the fate of our fellow man. Regardless of what they have done, they deserve our compassion, our empathy and an attempt to understand their actions. But once all is said and done, it is emphatically the province of a prosecuting attorney to see that justice is done, and if the hand of justice be heavy, let it rest upon the backs of those who truly deserve her retribution.

TLF Homepage / Donate to TLF Now!

]]> http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-jeremiah-walters/feed/ 0 http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/2012-fall-auction-wrap-up/ http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/2012-fall-auction-wrap-up/#comments Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:28:49 +0000 Mackenzie http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/?p=1384 Thanks to all of the students, professors, and community businesses who donated their time and money to the 2012 TLF Fall Auction. You helped us raise a record-breaking $24,579—enough to award six fellowships to UT Law students who will dedicate their summers to public interest!

]]> http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/2012-fall-auction-wrap-up/feed/ 0 http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-jillian-trezza/ http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/tlf-fellow-of-the-month-jillian-trezza/#comments Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:00:49 +0000 Aaron http://texaslawfellowships.org/main/?p=1322

Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Division, Manhattan

My summer legal internship with the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Division in Manhattan, New York was both exhilarating and invaluable. I was exposed to and able to participate in virtually all facets of the criminal litigation process. From conducting criminal investigations and extensive interviews with clients, to supporting the attorneys at trials and hearings, to researching and writing briefs and motions for submission to the court, my practical and hands-on experiences were truly exceptional.

Two particularly memorable experiences stood out. The first was serving as “co-counsel” for a misdemeanor case, defending a client charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Although not able to speak on the record, I was involved in all other aspects of the trial, from jury selection to generating defense strategies, to cross-examination and summation preparations. Participating in, and observing the entire course of the litigation process, while serving a client, was both deeply rewarding and thrilling. The final result was a verdict in our favor, and the client received full acquittal of all criminal charges.

The second experience was researching and writing a motion brief to convince the court to suppress physical evidence that we argued was the result of an illegal search and seizure. While a judge’s decision on evidentiary suppression is usually made at the end of a formal hearing, at the completion of our proceeding, the assistant district attorney asked the judge to stay his decision and entertain written briefs. The judge agreed, and I had the challenging and exciting opportunity to research and author our argument. After considering briefs on both sides, the judge ordered to suppress the physical evidence, ultimately agreeing with our position. The prosecution was forced to dismiss the case, since the evidence the charges were based on was ruled the fruit of the illegal search and seizure.

Besides the substantive work, the opportunity to interact with and discuss legal issues and procedures with other attorneys and law students facilitated the learning process, and made for a gratifying, dynamic, and fun summer experience.

TLF Homepage / Donate to TLF Now!

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