NEW YORK – July 21, 2016 – The Greenberg Traurig, LLP Holly Skolnick Fellowship Foundation has named eight new public interest fellows in partnership with Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization that provides two-year fellowships to aspiring public interest lawyers. The eight new fellows join the seven current Greenberg Traurig-sponsored fellows who are entering the final year of their fellowships. The new fellows begin their work at a wide range of community organizations in September in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
“Greenberg Traurig is honored to work with Equal Justice Works, through which we provide unique opportunities to new lawyers interested in public service law. In doing so, Greenberg Traurig, through its fellows, helps address the legal needs of underserved low-income communities. We are proud of the program, its achievements, and of our fellows,” said Caroline J. Heller, shareholder and chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Pro Bono Program.
Since 1999, global law firm Greenberg Traurig has invested more than $9 million to fund 142 Equal Justice Works Fellows. These fellows, working on issues ranging from community development and disability rights to domestic violence and immigration, have delivered critically needed legal services in more than 40 cities across the United States through local nonprofit organizations.
Equal Justice Works has 62 Fellows in the 2016 Fellowship class. The 2016 Equal Justice Works fellowship application attracted nearly 350 applicants from law schools across the United States.
View a complete list of the 2016 Equal Justice Works Fellows, their projects, and their sponsors.
The following are the 2016 Greenberg Traurig Holly Skolnick Fellows:
California
Jordan Aiken, a graduate of University of California, Irvine School of Law, will work with Bet Tzedek in Los Angeles. Aiken’s project focuses on alleviating the health challenges facing low-income transgender individuals by providing assistance with underlying legal issues through a Medical-Legal Partnership.
Florida
Cherilyn Hansen, a graduate of Stetson University College of Law, will work with Gulfcoast Legal Services. The organization serves the legal needs of vulnerable individuals, families, and communities. Hansen’s project provides homeless and low-income veterans in Tampa Bay, Florida, with access to the legal system through community outreach, direct client representation, and legal advocacy. Hansen’s fellowship is co-sponsored by the Florida Bar Foundation.
Andrea Crumrine, a graduate of University of Minnesota Law School, will work with Americans for Immigrant Justice in Miami. She will work with immigrant populations empowering asylum-seekers through legal rights workshops and providing holistic legal representation, outreach, and impact advocacy to detained asylum seekers throughout South Florida.
Illinois
Lydia Ness, a graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law, will work with Equip for Equality, an organization that advances the human and civil rights of people with disabilities. Ness will provide advocacy to victims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking and outreach to people with disabilities to prevent abuse and neglect and protect the rights of this vulnerable population. Ness’ fellowship is co-sponsored.
New York
Gena Miller, a graduate of Columbia Law School, will work with Advocates for Children to provide direct legal representation, outreach and training, and policy advocacy to address bullying of students in New York City schools, with a special focus on LGBTQ students and students with disabilities.
Samantha Kubek, a graduate of New York University School of Law, will work with New York Legal Assistance Group to create women's rights legal clinics at Veterans Administration medical centers in New York City that will provide legal assistance to female veterans. Kubek’s fellowship is co-sponsored by Greystone & Co., Inc.
Pennsylvania
Jean Strout, a graduate of Harvard Law School, will work with the Support Center for Child Advocates to provide legal assistance in child welfare, housing, public benefits, and related legal matters to current and former foster youth ages 18-21 through walk-in clinics at Philadelphia resource centers. The holistic approach offered by this project is particularly important for this group as they age out of the child welfare system and transition into adulthood.
Texas
Beatrice Roger, a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law, will work with Lone Star Legal Aid, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income residents in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas. Roger will provide legal advocacy to crime victims, address the cyclical nature of crime by acknowledging and managing trauma, and diminish juvenile crime by incorporating restorative practices into schools. Her fellowship is co-sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.
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