NEW YORK - May 23, 2017 – The Greenberg Traurig Holly Skolnick Fellowship Foundation has named eight new public interest fellows in partnership with Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization that provides 2-year fellowships to aspiring public interest lawyers. The eight new fellows join the eight 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, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
“Greenberg Traurig is proud to provide longstanding support for Equal Justice Works and we are excited for our fellows’ future as they help address the legal needs of underserved low-income communities. It’s humbling to be involved with such a strong organization as we provide unparalleled opportunities to new lawyers who are interested in a wide-range of public service law,” said Caroline J. Heller, shareholder and chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Pro Bono Program.
Since 1999, global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP 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 77 Fellows in the 2017 Fellowship class. The 2017 Equal Justice Works fellowship application attracted applicants from law schools across the United States. View a complete list of the 2017 Equal Justice Works Fellows, their projects, and their sponsors. The 2018 Fellowship application will open June 28 – Sept. 27, 2017.
The following are the 2017 Greenberg Traurig Holly Skolnick Fellows:
California
Juliana Morgan‐Trostle, a graduate of New York University School of Law, will work with Bay Area Legal Aid to establish a bilingual, medical‐legal partnership in Contra Costa County to provide wraparound legal protections to Latina survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Florida
Jordan Chisolm, a graduate of New York University School of Law, will work with Legal Services of Greater Miami to provide free transactional legal services to minority and immigrant entrepreneurs in low‐ income Miami neighborhoods to strengthen business viability and community revitalization. Chisolm’s sponsorship is co-sponsored by the Florida Bar Foundation.
Illinois
Lark Mulligan, a graduate of DePaul University College of Law, will work with Cabrini Green Legal Aid to advocate for poor, criminalized, transgender people in Chicago, Illinois, through a holistic, collaborative model that includes legal representation, community education, and policy reform.
New York
Angela Ni, a graduate of The University of Michigan Law School, will work with Urban Justice Center’s Street Vendors Project to provide transactional legal assistance, outreach, and training to low‐income immigrant street entrepreneurs in New York City.
Pennsylvania
Darlene Hemerka, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania Law School, will work with Public Interest Law Center to advocate and litigate on behalf of students with disabilities ages 14 and older in the Philadelphia School district and surrounding counties regarding appropriate secondary transition services.
Texas
Daphne Wilson, a graduate of Emory University School of Law, will work with Texas Legal Services Center to introduce a legal checkup to specifically and systematically address the legal needs of underserved pregnant and non‐pregnant patients of the new Center for Women’s Health and their families. Wilson’s sponsorship is co-sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.
Washington, D.C.
Josh Mitman, a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, will work with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth to promote systemic reform of state parole systems so that children previously given extreme sentences have a meaningful opportunity for release through parole.
Mackenzie Becker, a graduate of Howard University School of Law, will work with Children’s Law Center to create a model for culturally competent legal representation for LGBTQ foster youth in Washington, D.C. by directly representing youth, engaging in coalition building and outreach, and training stakeholders. Becker’s sponsorship is co-sponsored by Steptoe & Johnson.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Pro Bono Program
Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firm’s offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing and homelessness.
About Equal Justice Works
Equal Justice Works is the U.S. leader in creating public interest opportunities for law students and lawyers. Collaborating 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. Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For additional information about Equal Justice Works, please visit www.equaljusticeworks.org.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.