Five UT Law students receive Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships

The 2012 Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellows are, left to right, Whitney Drake, Vanshika Vij, Maddy Dwertman, Mary Chisolm, and Kali Cohn.

Five students at the University of Texas School of Law have been selected to receive Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships for the coming summer. The program will provide each fellow with a $4,250 stipend to work fulltime for at least ten weeks providing legal services to underrepresented individuals or communities.

The fellowships are made possible by a generous gift from the Baron & Budd law firm, which also supports the Baron & Budd Public Interest Scholarship Program.  Both programs are administered by the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law at the Law School.

“Baron & Budd’s generous support creates the opportunity for our students to gain hands-on experience and help provide critical legal services,” said Eden Harrington, director of the Justice Center.  “The Law School is very grateful for the firm’s commitment to our students and the broader community.”

The following students will receive Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships:

 

Mary Chisolm, ’14, will work with the South Texas Civil Rights Project in Alamo, assisting with civil rights impact litigation.

Kali Cohn, ’14, will work with the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas in Houston, assisting with immigrants’ rights and criminal law reform campaigns.

Whitney Drake, ’14, will work with American Gateways in Austin, helping to represent clients in immigration cases.

Maddy Dwertman, ’14, will work with the Texas Defender Service in Austin, assisting with its capital trial project.

Vanshika Vij, ’14, will work with the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin, assisting with civil rights cases and client intake. 

 

About Baron & Budd:

Baron & Budd PC is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the country representing people exposed to toxic substances in their work and living environments. The firm established the Baron & Budd Public Interest Scholarships and Summer Fellowships at the Law School to support students engaged in pro bono and public interest work.

About the Justice Center:

The Justice Center is dedicated to promoting equal justice for all through legal education. The Justice Center works toward this goal by educating students, faculty, and attorneys about public-interest legal issues; teaching students about the need to increase access to justice; creating pro bono opportunities for the Law School community; providing support to students and graduates engaged in public service; and conducting research into legal issues affecting underserved individuals and communities.

Related links:

Baron & Budd Public Interest Scholarship Program

Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program

William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law

Contact: Mary Crouter, Assistant Director, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, UT Law, 512-232-7855, mcrouter@law.utexas.edu

Category: Student Life
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