PUBLIC INTEREST RESOURCE CENTER SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAMS
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“It is phenomenal to see the HOPE and SPIF students evolve as public interest advocates through their work locally, nationally and internationally. They are touched by the people and communities they serve and are committed to effectuating change and promoting access to justice for others.� ~Marni Lennon, Assistant Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono
HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM The HOPE Fellows Program gives rising 2L and 3L students, with a commitment to public interest advocacy, the opportunity to create their public interest dream job at an agency locally, nationally or internationally, and receive a stipend from the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center. HOPE Fellows work with public interest organizations to provide legal advocacy, policy development and implementation, and to devise systems to enhance the delivery of legal services. The HOPE Fellows Program challenges students to identify host agencies and develop on-site projects to uniquely address the unmet needs of the organization’s constituency. Upon their return to Miami Law, HOPE Fellows design and implement initiatives to educate and engage law students in advocacy related to their area of concentration. Over the years, the program has grown from just two fellows, placed in local agencies, to up to twenty fellows, each summer, across the globe.
The HOPE Fellowship provided me the opportunity to pursue my dream internship with the United Nations this summer. With the HOPE Office's continuous support and guidance throughout the fellowship process, students like me can follow their passion for public service, make an impact, and refine their legal skillsets. ~Gita Howard HOPE Fellow 2020 United Nations Office of Legal Affairs New York, NY
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ERICA AUER
YOUTH LAW CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO, CA Erica Auer graduated from California State University, East Bay, in 2011 with a B.S. in Business, majoring in Accounting and Marketing. Prior to law school, she worked in the technology industry in San Francisco, CA. During that time, through her volunteer work, she found her passion for juvenile justice reform when she ran the academic mentoring program at the all-boys maximum-security unit of the San Francisco Juvenile Hall as part of the program Each One Reach One. Each One Reach One. As a 1L at Miami Law, Erica joined the Criminal Law Society and volunteered with Exchange for Change at Dade Correctional Institution. During her 1L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the Office of the Orlando Public Defender, in the juvenile division. As a 2L, she served on the Mentorship Committee for the Public Interest Leadership Board, participated in the Fines and Fees Justice Project, worked as an intern at Florida Justice Institute, and acted as a liaison between Miami Law and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office for their monthly sealing and expungement events. As a 3L, she is serving as the president of the Public Interest Leadership Board and the vice president of the Criminal Law Society. During the summer of 2020, Erica served as a HOPE Fellow with the Youth Law Center in San Francisco.
KELLY BECK
COLORADO STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO Kelly Beck graduated from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign in May 2017 with a B.S. in Political Science and Psychology. Following graduation, Kelly joined the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation as an intern, working primarily in the areas of domestic violence and family law. In August 2017, she became the Medical-Legal Partnership Coordinator for the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago as part of the AmeriCorps VISTA Program. She focused on domestic violence and social security cases, as well as matters involving seniors, veterans, and disabled low-income clients. Kelly is a Miami Public Interest Scholar. During her 1L summer, she worked as a law clerk at the Office of the Cook County Public Guardian in Chicago, IL, representing abused and neglected children. As a 2L, she participated in the Children & Youth Law Clinic, the Litigation Skills Program, and the University of Miami Law Review. During the summer of 2020, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the Colorado State Public Defender's Office in Arapahoe County, where she will continue to work during the fall semester of her 3L year.
BETHANY BLAKEMAN
US DEPT. OF JUSTICE-ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION, ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES SECTION, WASHINGTON, DC Bethany Blakeman graduated from Georgetown University in 2016 with a B.A. in Government and a minor in Journalism. She is currently a joint JD/MPS student focusing on coastal zone management at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and environmental law at Miami Law. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at the Miami Beach City Attorney’s Office. As a 2L, she served as an intern in the Environmental Justice Clinic, where she conducted research on local policies for the sea-level rise and climate change issues impacting Miami, with a focus on how to ensure minority and
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low-income communities do not suffer the brunt of the harm. She co-authored an article published in the Florida Bar Journal on how implementing flood risk disclosures can help reduce risk across vulnerable communities. She is also a member of the International and Comparative Law Review. As a 3L, she is serving as the president of the Environmental Law Society. During the summer of 2020, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the US Department of Justice in the Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division in Washington, DC.
NATALIE CAVELLIER
US DEPT. OF JUSTICE-ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION, NATURAL RESOURCES SECTION, WASHINGTON, DC Natalie Cavellier graduated from University of California Santa Cruz in 2016 with a B.A. in Legal Studies and Environmental Studies. She earned a Master of Professional Science at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in 2018. During graduate school, Natalie interned with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and worked as a legal assistant at an immigration firm in Miami. As a 2L at Miami Law, she participated in the Environmental Justice Clinic, furthering her interests in the intersection of human rights and the regulation of the built and natural environment. During the summer of 2020, Natalie served as a HOPE Fellow with the US Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division in the Natural Resources Section in Washington, DC.
JASON CLARK
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY-CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, NEW YORK, NY Jason Clark graduated from the University of Florida in June 2018 with a B.S. in Environmental Science. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, Jason was a judicial intern for the Honorable William J. Altfield in the 11th Judicial Circuit and worked as a legal intern at the National Parks Conservation Association. During his time at the NPCA, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of America's national parks, he worked on Florida water law rights and how to preserve water rights for the Florida Everglades during times of water scarcity. During his 2L year, he joined the Litigation Skills program in order to pursue a career in environmental law litigation. He is a member of the Environmental Law Society. During the summer of 2020, he served as a HOPE Fellow with the Criminal Enforcement Division of the Environmental Protection Agency in New York City.
DAISY DELGADO GOMEZ
US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, MIAMI, FL Daisy Delgado Gomez graduated from Florida International University in 2017 with a B.A. in Business Administration. Prior to entering law school, she interned at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office in the Insurance Fraud department. As a 2L at Miami Law, she was an intern with the Children & Youth Law Clinic, providing assistance to youth either currently or formerly in foster care with issues relating to dependency, immigration, probate, independent living, education and other general civil legal matters. During the summer of 2020, Daisy served as a HOPE Fellow with the Enforcement Division of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in the Miami Regional Office.
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ALEXA FLORA
ACLU OF FLORIDA, MIAMI, FL Alexa Flora graduated cum laude from Suffolk University in Boston, MA, in 2015 with a B.S. in Sociology, with a concentration in Crime and Justice and minors in Philosophy and Business. She was awarded the professor-appointed Award for Academic Excellence in Sociology. Following graduation, Alexa worked as an auditor in a large law firm in Boca Raton, Florida, while also volunteering with children with special needs and people living in poverty in Palm Beach County. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Alexa interned at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow. As a 2L, Alexa competed in an International Moot Court competition involving human rights and worked on the Drug Policy Team for the Human Rights Clinic. During the summer of 2020, Alexa served as a HOPE Fellow with the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida in Miami.
BEATRIZ (BEA) GARCIA
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF NEW YORK-BRONX CRIMINAL TRIAL DIVISION, BRONX, NY Beatriz (Bea) Garcia graduated from the George Washington University in December 2017 with a B.A. in International Affairs, and a concentration in Conflict & Conflict Resolution. During her time in DC, Bea advocated for the promotion and protection of human rights at Latin America Working Group and Peace Brigades International. Prior to law school, she served as a legal intern at the Office of the Federal Public Defender in El Paso, Texas. At Miami Law, Bea has served as an intern in the Death Penalty Practicum, competed on the International Moot Court team, and served as secretary of the Alliance Against Human Trafficking. She is a Miami Public Interest Scholar and, as a 3L, is serving as president of the Alliance Against Human Trafficking and vice present of the International Moot Court Board. During her 1L summer, she served as an Immigration Legal Intern at Ayuda in Washington, DC. During the summer of 2020, Bea served as a HOPE Fellow at The Legal Aid Society of New York in the Bronx Criminal Trial Division.
KATARINA (KATY) GOMEZ
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF NEW YORK-IMMIGRATION LAW UNIT, NEW YORK, NY Katarina (Katy) Gomez graduated from Florida State University in April 2016 with a degree in Political Science. She participated in an alternative break program with the International Rescue Committee in Atlanta, Georgia, where she assisted with the Refugee Resettlement program. She worked at an immigration law firm both during and after college. At Miami Law, Katy is a Miami Public Interest Scholar. During her 1L year, she participated in an immigration legal screening clinic with Americans for Immigrant Justice. She also took part in an Alternative Spring Break trip, volunteering with the Texas Civil Rights Project in Alamo, Texas and working on cases relating to policies that impact border communities. During her 1L summer, Katy interned with Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education (RAICES) in the Family Detention program, helping attorneys provide legal assistance to asylum seekers detained at Karnes County Residential Center in Texas. As a 2L, she participated in the Immigration
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Clinic, served on the Legal Advocacy Alternative Break Planning Committee, and was the secretary of Immigration Students Law Association (ISLA). She also volunteered with ACLU FL on a bail reform project. As a 3L, she is participating in the Race and Social Justice Law Review, Bar & Gavel, serving as president of ISLA, and externing with Americans for Immigrant Justice. During the summer of 2020, Katy served as a HOPE Fellow at The Legal Aid Society’s Immigration Law Unit in New York, working with The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project.
MEREDITH HOFFMAN
BROOKLYN DEFENDERS-IMMIGRATION PRACTICE, BROOKLYN, NY Meredith Hoffman graduated from Cornell University in 2009 with a B.A. degree in English and in 2012 with an M.A. in Journalism from New York University. She entered law school after a career as a journalist, focusing her reporting on immigration issues, which she covered in Texas, New York, Latin America, Europe, and other parts of the US. Her work appeared in the Associated Press, VICE, Politico, and New York Times, and she co-produced an independent documentary in Honduras about deported families through a fellowship from the International Women in Media Foundation. Meredith is a Miami Public Interest Scholar and Soia Mentschikoff Scholar. During her 1L summer, she interned with the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project in New York. She has also volunteered with Al Otro Lado in Tijuana, Mexico, organized an Alternative Spring Break trip with the Texas Civil Rights Project on the Texas-Mexico border, volunteered with Catholic Legal Services, and spearheaded a law student volunteer project to assist the Southern Poverty Law Center in parole requests for detained asylum seekers. As a 2L, she participated in the Immigration Clinic, working on cases related to asylum, criminal-immigration matters, habeas petitions, and a class action lawsuit led against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detaining immigrants in violation of CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. She served as president of the Immigration Students Law Association and is a member of the University of Miami Law Review. During the summer of 2020, she served as a HOPE Fellow with Brooklyn Defenders’ Immigration Practice, in the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, which provides free representation to detained immigrants in removal proceedings.
GITA HOWARD
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS, NEW YORK, NY Gita Howard graduated from Scripps College in 2017 with a B.A. in Psychology. During college, she participated in the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights, where she studied human rights in religious conflict. Following graduation, she was an intern reporter at West Hawaii Today and a research assistant for former CNN Senior Asia Correspondent, Mike Chinoy’s biography, Are You With Me? Kevin Boyle and The Rise of the Human Rights Movement. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Gita served as a HOPE Fellow at the Tibetan Legal Association in Dharamshala, India, where she advocated for the rights of the Tibetan community. During her 2L year, she participated in the Human Rights Clinic. She is a member of the Society of Bar & Gavel, and serves on the executive board of the Insightful Mind Initiative. She has also spearheaded the initiative to found Miami Law’s Human Rights Society. During the summer of 2020, Gita served as a HOPE Fellow with the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, General Legal Division in New York City.
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LINDSEY JOHNSON
REGIONAL PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR CAPITAL CASES, LUBBOCK, TX Lindsey Johnson graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2016 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Social Work. During college, she worked as a resident aide at Dawn Farm, an inpatient alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility. From 2014 to 2015, she served as an intern with the Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Program, where she provided information and services to parolees returning to their communities. Following graduation, she worked in human resources at Amazon and as an International Mobility Specialist with Ericsson. She also continued her volunteer work, assisting guests with services at The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center. Lindsey is a Miami Public Interest Scholar. As a 1L, she participated in an Alternative Spring Break Program with the Center for Death Penalty Litigation in Durham, NC. During her 1L summer, she served as a legal intern for the Capital Habeas Unit of the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Florida. As a 2L, she externed at the Florida Justice Institute, where she focused on civil rights litigation and advocacy related to prisoners' rights. She also worked with the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel on a capital case. During the summer of 2020, Lindsey served as a HOPE Fellow with the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases in Lubbock, Texas.
JENNA JURADO
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNSEL FOR CHILDREN, WASHINGTON, DC Jenna Jurado graduated from Baylor University in 2016 with a B.A. in Psychology. While in college, she served as a certified Crisis Intervention Advocate at the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children. Her research in child psychiatry, trauma, and evidence-based therapy informed her thesis entitled Overmedication of America’s Youth: The Long-Term Neurological Effects Psychotropic Drugs on Children. She also engaged in a weekly mentorship program that provided support to at-risk children and youth, and participated in humanitarian and anti-human trafficking efforts in Mongolia, Panama, and Haiti. At Miami Law, Jenna serves on the executive boards of the Alliance Against Human Trafficking and the Christian Legal Society, holds leadership positions with Books & Buddies and Miami Law UNetworking, and serves on the Public Interest Leadership Board. She was the recipient of the HOPE Outstanding 1L Award for her community service efforts and participated in pro bono work with the EEOC and Lawyers for Children America. As a 2L, she is taking part in the Children & Youth Law Clinic. During the summer of 2020, Jenna served as a HOPE Fellow at the National Association of Counsel for Children in Washington, DC.
JOUBIN KHAZAIE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, LOS ANGELES, CA Joubin Khazaie graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2017 with a B.A. in Sociology. Prior to law school, he spent two years working in campaign finance and digital fundraising at ActBlue, based in Boston. He developed tools and resources to help over 300 Democratic federal campaigns build their
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digital fundraising programs. At Miami Law, Joubin serves as the vice president of the National Lawyers Guild–Miami Law Chapter, treasurer of the South Asian Law Students Association, and is a Worker Advocate with the Wage Theft Advocacy Project and a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board. During the summer of 2020, Joubin served as a HOPE Fellow with the Los Angeles County Public Defender.
KALEN NEHLER
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF NEW YORK-PRISONERS' RIGHTS PROJECT, NEW YORK, NY Kalen Nehler graduated from Concord University in 2016 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Pre-Law. Prior to law school, he worked on various research projects centered around minority race relations, specifically within rural communities. As a 1L at Miami Law, he assisted Americans for Immigrant Justice with client intakes and worked with BLSA on raising awareness about the importance of Amendment 4 and restoration of rights. During his 1L summer, Kalen served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Legal Services of Greater Miami, assisting the indigent population with access to public benefits, education, and health care. During his 2L year, he served as an intern with the Florida Justice Institute, where he assisted with the agency’s representation of Florida’s incarcerated population, particularly in the areas of medical care and inmate protection. As a Carlton Fields Scholar with the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center, Kalen worked with the Pulitzer Center on ways in which the New York Times’ 1619 Project can be incorporated in higher education settings. During the summer of 2020, Kalen served as a HOPE Fellow with the Legal Aid Society of New York in the Prisoners’ Rights Project.
ASHLEY PLOTKIN
BET TZEDEK, LOS ANGELES, CA Ashley Plotkin graduated from the University of Miami in 2019 with degrees in Political Science and Economics. She served on AEI’s Campus Executive Council and hosted various events on campus to educate students about policy reform in fields such as healthcare, gun control, and foreign policy. As a 2L at Miami Law, Ashley is volunteering to help the community with COVID-19 recovery. During the summer of 2020, Ashley served as a HOPE Fellow with Bet Tzedek, a legal aid organization in the Los Angeles area. She worked with the Impact Litigation Team to help clients secure government benefits, housing, and other vital legal services.
KENYA ROTHSTEIN
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, ATLANTA, GA Kenya Rothstein graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2016 with degrees in Environmental Studies and Legal Studies. Following graduation, she worked as an assistant paralegal at an immigration law firm. As a 1L at Miami Law, she founded the Green Grad Group—a multidisciplinary, multigrad campus organization focused on improving sustainability performance campus-wide. During her 1L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with
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the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC. As a 2L, she served as the president of the Environmental Law Society. During the spring of her 2L year, she worked with the Economic and Environmental Crimes Unit of the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. During the summer of 2020, Kenya served as a HOPE Fellow with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Atlanta office.
EMELY SANCHEZ
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, ATLANTA, GA Emely Sanchez graduated from Florida International University 2016 with degrees in Political Science and Criminal Justice. In 2018, she earned her Master’s in Public Health at the University of Miami, specializing in health policy and research. As both a graduate student and law student, she has interned for the Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, the Center for Ethics and Public Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Law Program. She has worked with student government, It’s On Us and Title IX initiatives, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Student Chapter. She co-founded the University of Miami’s Academy Health Chapter, founded Miami Law’s Health Law Association, and has worked on developing a graduate certificate program. At Miami Law, she is a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board and the Bar & Gavel Honor Society. As a 2L, she participated in the Health Rights Clinic, worked with the Office of Congresswoman Donna Shalala, and served as the Health Foundation of South Florida’s first public policy intern. She is president of Miami Law’s Health Law Association and is the student liaison for the American Bar Association’s Health Law Section. She has served as a student liaison for the ABA’s Public Health & Policy and Military & Veterans Heath Law interest groups within the Health Law Section. During the summer of 2020, Emely served as a HOPE Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
ALEEZA M. SHAH
COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS, SAN FRANCISCO, CA Aleeza M. Shah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Central Florida in 2018 with a B.S. in Legal Studies. Following graduation, she worked at an immigration law firm with a primary focus on asylum-based claims. As a 1L at Miami Law, Aleeza was elected as a Student Bar Association (SBA) Senator and served as a University of Miami Liaison to the Florida Bar. As a 2L, she is serving as SBA Speaker and class Senator, OUTLaw Activism Chair, South Asian Law Student Association Social Media Chair, and is participating in the Human Rights Clinic. During the summer of 2020, Aleeza served as a HOPE Fellow/Civil Rights Law Clerk with CAIR-SFBA, where she aided in the representation of clients who face discriminatory state surveillance, law enforcement harassment, denial of accommodations at work or in public spaces, and documentation of hate toward American Muslims.
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LAURA B. SILVA
CAPITAL AREA IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS COALITION, WASHINGTON, DC Laura B. Silva graduated from Florida International University in 2019 with a B.B.A in International Business and a Certificate in Public Policy Studies. During college, Laura interned with Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, focusing on voter restoration, reproductive justice legislation, and immigration issues affecting Miami-Dade constituents. She also interned with Human Rights Watch, where she advocated to protect the interests of marginalized children through development and outreach. As a 1L at Miami Law, she joined the school’s ACLU Chapter and the Public Interest Leadership Board. During the summer of 2020, Laura served as a HOPE Fellow with Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in Washington, DC, in the Detained Unaccompanied Children's Program.
AMANDA SUAREZ
ACLU OF FLORIDA, MIAMI, FL Amanda Suarez graduated from the University of Miami in 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Catholic Legal Services, where she assisted attorneys who were representing detained immigrants and gave know-your-rights presentations. As a 2L, she served as a Legal Intern in the Human Rights Clinic, participating in the COURAGE project which works to enhance the law enforcement response to domestic violence and sexual assault, in partnership with community-based organizations, police departments, and national leaders. She also worked as a Carlton Fields Scholar with the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center. As a 3L, she is serving as the Symposium Committee Chair for the Race and Social Justice Law Review. During the Summer of 2020, Amanda served as a HOPE Fellow at the ACLU of Florida in Miami.
EVELYN VERAS
ORLANDO PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, ORLANDO, FL CABA PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES, MIAMI, FL Evelyn Veras graduated from the University of Florida in December 2018 with a B.S. in Health Education and minor in Latin American Studies. While at UF, she initiated an academic success program for first-generation students and advocated for a more inclusive academic curriculum as the chairwoman for Students Taking Action Against Racism. Prior to law school, she worked for a lobbying organization in Washington, DC, a non-profit legal services program, and an immigration law firm in Orlando, FL. As a 1L at Miami Law, she volunteered with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s immigration team and with the Dade Correctional Institution legal writing program. During the summer of 2020, Evelyn served as a HOPE Fellow with CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in Miami and the Office of the Public Defender in Orlando.
SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM The Summer Public Interest Fellows Program (SPIF) is designed to engage the public interest-minded student during the summer following their first year of law school. This selective program involves full-time work at a South Florida public interest agency for eight weeks during the summer along with a legal research and writing project. Fellows also participate in a seminar where members of the bench, bar and legal community visit and students share their work in the public sector. Participating students are given a stipend and receive three academic credits. HOPE is proud to support the public interest work of an increasing number of students who serve clients and communities in extraordinary ways.
I'm grateful to have participated in SPIF this summer. In a time of such turmoil, SPIF allowed me to be useful and help others while expanding my education. I learned so much in my internship with Legal Services of Greater Miami and in the SPIF class that I will carry with me through my schooling and beyond. ~Abril Montero Dokser SPIF 2020 Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. Miami, FL
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MEAGAN COLLINS
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, MIAMI, FL CABA PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES, MIAMI, FL Meagan Collins graduated summa cum laude from Florida International University in May 2017 with a B.A. in Psychology. While at FIU, she volunteered in a Legal Psychology research lab, studying eyewitness testimony. Prior to law school, she worked as a Registered Behavior Technician, providing therapy to children with autism. As a 2L at Miami Law, Meagan is participating in the Alliance Against Human Trafficking and the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. During the summer of 2020, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in the Special Prosecutions Division. She also assisted CABA Pro Bono with immigration cases, including the handling of documentation for asylum seekers.
JESSICA DENNIS
MIAMI WATERKEEPER, MIAMI, FL Jessica Dennis graduated from the University of Missouri in May 2018 with a B.A. in Journalism. While at Missouri, she served as an intern at the Public Defender’s Office in Kansas City, Missouri, worked as a news writer and copy editor for The Columbia Missourian, and was a writing tutor. As a 2L at Miami Law, she is participating in the Environmental Justice Clinic and serving as social chair for OUTLaw. During the summer of 2020, Jessica served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Miami Waterkeeper.
HAYLEY GOODMAN
DADE LEGAL AID, MIAMI, FL Hayley Goodman graduated summa cum laude from Lehigh University in 2018 with a B.A. in Global Studies and double minors in Latin American Studies and Religion. She also holds a Master of Science in Management from Lehigh’s College of Business and Economics, which she received in 2019. She was involved in the Choral Arts program throughout her time at Lehigh. Prior to law school, Hayley interned at a policy institute in Jerusalem that monitored for compliance with UNESCO-derived standards for peace and cultural tolerance in school curricula throughout the Middle East. As a 2L at Miami Law, she is participating in the Children & Youth Law Clinic and training to become a certified Guardian ad Litem. She is also a member of the Business Law Review. During the summer of 2020, Hayley served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at Dade Legal Aid in the Child Advocacy and Guardianship Divisions.
JAE LYNN HUCKABA
CATHOLIC LEGAL SERVICES, MIAMI, FL Jae Lynn Huckaba graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Ozarks in 2018 with a B.A. in English and Spanish and minors in Secondary Education and History. As an undergrad, Jae Lynn worked with students with documented learning disabilities in the Jones Learning Center, and she served
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as the president of Ozarks’ Alliance, advocating for a safe and accepting environment for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities through educational efforts and awareness building. At Miami Law, Jae Lynn is a member of Phi Alpha Delta, the National Lawyers Guild, OUTLaw, Hispanic Law Students Association, Immigration Students Law Association, and CABA. She participated in the Alternative Spring Break planning committee and serves as a Student Ambassador. As a 2L, she is participating in the University of Miami Law Review, the Immigration Clinic, and Street Law. She is also the pioneering candidate for the J.D./M.A. in Latin American Studies dual-degree program. During the summer of 2020, Jae Lynn served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Catholic Legal Services in the area of immigration law.
ABRIL MONTERO DOKSER
LEGAL SERVICES OF GREATER MIAMI, MIAMI, FL Abril Montero Dokser graduated from the University of Florida in 2018 with a B.A. in Criminology & Law and a minor in Anthropology. During her time there, she competed on the Mock Trial Team. As a 1L at Miami Law, Abril volunteered with CABA Pro Bono, assisting with immigration and family law issues. As a 2L, she is participating in the Human Rights Clinic and serving as a Carlton Fields Scholar with the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center. During the summer of 2020, Abril served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Legal Services of Greater Miami in the Family Law Project.
LEAH NUNZIATO
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Leah Nunziato graduated from Florida State University’s College of Business in 2019, with a B.A. in Marketing and a minor in Environment and Society. In addition to various businessrelated clubs and organizations, Leah became involved with the Environmental Service Program where she solidified her passion for environmental advocacy. As a rising senior, she interned at Miami Waterkeeper, where she conducted research and worked with local municipalities to elicit sustainable change. Upon graduation, Leah became involved with FoodEASE, a Miami-based organization focused on fighting hunger and reducing food waste in the local community. She coordinates meal pickups and food deliveries with organizations that serve those in need. As a 1L at Miami Law, Leah joined Miami Law Women and the Business Law Society. During the summer of 2020, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade Public Defender.
NICHOLAS RITORNATO
DISABILITY INDEPENDENCE GROUP, MIAMI, FL Nicholas Ritornato graduated from Florida State University in 2018 with a B.S. in Political Science, a second major in Economics, and a minor in Psychology. He held multiple leadership positions in the Delta Chi Fraternity and Interfraternity Council and served on the Florida State Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities Greek Conduct Board. During the summers of 2018 and 2019, Nicholas worked as an intern for law firms in Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton. As a 1L at
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Miami Law, he became a Miami Law Ambassador, and he will continue to participate as a 2L. He is also joining the University of Miami Law Review. During the summer of 2020, he served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at Disability Independence Group.
SAM SACHS
LEGAL SERVICES OF GREATER MIAMI, MIAMI, FL Sam Sachs graduated from Wilmington University in 2013 with a B.S. in Sports Management and a minor in Political Science. He was a member of the Division II golf team, served as president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and was selected as the 2013 commencement speaker. Following graduation, Sam began working for the YMCA of Delaware and directed youth leadership programs to increase teen civic engagement across the state. During his time with the YMCA, Sam developed a passion for youth and homeless advocacy and hopes to continue to help non-profits better connect with their elected officials and the communities they serve. During the summer of 2020, Sam served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Legal Services of Greater Miami in the Tenants’ Rights Unit.
LOGAN SANDLER
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, MIAMI, FL CABA PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES, MIAMI, FL Logan Sandler graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2011 with a B.A. in Film Production and earned an M.F.A. in Film Directing from the American Film Institute in 2014. Prior to entering law school, Logan directed the feature film “Live Cargo,” which centered on human trafficking in the Caribbean. After the film’s premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, Logan toured with the film at an array of international film festivals, bringing awareness to the issue. As a 2L at Miami Law, he is serving as president of the International Law Society and participating in the Investor Rights Clinic and the University of Miami Law Review. During the summer of 2020, Logan served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and also worked with CABA Pro Bono Legal Services on Asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases.
JACOB SANTARELLI
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Jacob Santarelli graduated cum laude from Auburn University in May 2019 with a B.S. in Business Administration, majoring in Management with a minor in Organizational Change and Development. While at Auburn, Jacob volunteered with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County. He also interned with two small law firms, focusing on bankruptcy and general trial advocacy respectively. As a 2L at Miami Law, Jacob is volunteering with the Exchange for Change Legal Writing Program at Dade Correctional Institution. During the summer of 2020, Jacob served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade Public Defender.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead
Interest MIAMILAW HOPE Public Resource Center UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF LAW
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