Hofstra Law's Public Justice Foundation Raises More Than $70,000 to Support Student Fellowships

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — For 23 years, the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University’s student-run Public Justice Foundation (PJF) has raised money to provide financial support to law students who devote their time and legal skills to public interest organizations over the summer. This year, PJF raised an all-time high of $74,381 at its annual Goods & Services Auction in March. These funds are providing 51 law students with stipends for unpaid summer internships in the public sector they otherwise would be unable to accept due to monetary constraints.

“Hofstra Law has demonstrated a commitment to public service since the school was founded, and our newest crop of PJF fellows are shining examples of this tenet,” said Eric Lane, interim dean and Eric J. Schmertz Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Public Service. “We are also very proud of the student members of PJF, who work diligently throughout the year to raise money for, and awareness about, public interest fellowships for their fellow students.”

Each year, PJF recognizes a Hofstra Law graduate and a faculty member for their dedication to public justice and public service. This year’s PJF Outstanding Alumnus was former New York Gov. David A. Paterson ’82, and the faculty recipient of the annual David A. Diamond Award for Distinguished Public Service was Professor Andrew Schepard, director of the Center for Children, Families and the Law.

The 51 PJF Fellows are working at the following public interest organizations and government agencies:

Nicholas Anderson (Class of 2013) — Office of the New York State Attorney General, New York, N.Y.

Alexander Anolik (2014) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Stephen Atwell (2014) — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Stony Brook, N.Y.

Justin Barbetta (2013) — Office of the Public Defender for the 19th Circuit, Fort Pierce, Fla.

Rajesh Barua (2013) — The Legal Aid Society, Queens Neighborhood Office, Kew Gardens, N.Y.

Brian Boxler (2014) — Office of the Nassau County Attorney, Mineola, N.Y.

Cherie N. Brown (2014) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Jeanie Y. Chang (2013) — U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, Tampa, Fla.

Carly P. Creed (2014) — Mental Hygiene Legal Service, Albany, N.Y.

Andrew T. Damron (2013) — Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, Dallas, Texas

Jessica M. Fildes (2014) — Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Hempstead, N.Y.

Alexandra Gann (2013) — The Legal Aid Society, New York, N.Y.

Jennai E. Gaskin (2014) — New York Legal Assistance Group, New York, N.Y.

Tali Gellert (2013) — Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Mineola, N.Y.

Gabriela Gomez (2014) — Children’s Law Center of California, Monterey Park, Calif.

Joshua Goodman (2013) — New York State Department of Labor, New York, N.Y.

Helma Gravenese (2013) — Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sade Greene (2013) — Legal Services NYC-Bronx, Bronx, N.Y.

Nicole Guliano (2014) — The Children’s Law Center, Washington, D.C.

Christine Hilcken (2014) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Stephen Hylton (2013) — New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, New York, N.Y.

Erin Keenan (2014) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Sumaiya Khalique (2013) — Shopfront Youth Legal Centre, Sydney, Australia

Ryan Larson (2013) — HIV Law Project, New York, N.Y.

Louis Moshe Leon (2014) — Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, New York, N.Y.

Paul Liggieri (2014) — Office of the Nassau County Attorney, Mineola, N.Y.

Kathleen Meara (2014) — United Nations Development Programme Global Commission on HIV and the Law, New York, N.Y.

Tanya Mir (2013) — Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Bethpage, N.Y.

Alexandria Morrell (2014) — The Legal Aid Society, Queens County Criminal Practice, Kew Gardens, N.Y.

Allison Mussen (2013) — The Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Utica, N.Y.

Rosalyn Naval (2013) — Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Daniel Neyra  (2013) — Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Law Department, Newark, N.J.

Michael Ovadia (2014) — Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Mineola, N.Y.

Megan Pearl (2014) — Spanish American League Against Discrimination, Miami, Fla.

Emily Rivard  (2013) — U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, Tampa, Fla.

Laura Robbins (2014) — Office of the New York State Attorney General, Brooklyn Regional Office, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Erin Ross (2013) — Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, New York, N.Y.

Matthew Rutchik (2014) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Ashley D. Sauerhof (2013) — Office of the Bronx District Attorney, Bronx, N.Y.

Nicole Shivcharran (2013) — Center for Court Innovation, New York, N.Y.

Anand Sinha (2013) — City Bar Justice Center, New York, N.Y.

Ronald Sylvestre, Jr. (2013) — The Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, Hempstead, N.Y.

Judd H. Taback (2013) — Office of the New York State Attorney General, New York, N.Y.

Rico Tagliaferri (2013) — Santa Clara County Public Defender Office, San Jose, Calif.

David J. Tamke (2013) — U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Central Islip, N.Y.

Geoff Kagan Trenchard (2014) — Brooklyn Family Defense Project, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sean Ubias (2014) — Legal Outreach, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y.

Brittni Uhl (2014) — Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, District Court Bureau, Central Islip, N.Y.

Susan Varghese (2013) — City Bar Justice Center, New York, N.Y.

Lauren Yaghoubi (2013) — Office of the New York State Attorney General, New York, N.Y.

Iole Yellico (2013) — Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Mineola, N.Y.