The University of Virginia School of Law will fund a record number of students working in public service roles this summer. With jobs ranging from environmental policy to criminal justice reform to antitrust enforcement, 168 students will receive a historically high $710,351 in grants.
The student-administered Public Interest Law Association summer fellowship program provides grants to law students who accept low-paying or unpaid public service internships. Fellowships are funded by voluntary contributions and the Law School Foundation, and are disbursed by the Law School’s Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center.
“Our combined experiences make us stronger, and these grants provide ways for students to grow and experience unique career paths with the support of the UVA Law community behind them,” PILA President Sara Wendel ’21 said. “Spending my 1L summer interning in New York City for a juvenile public defender was one of the most memorable and influential experiences of my life.”
The grants will benefit 133 first-year students, who will each receive $3,750 in funding, and 35 second-year students, who receive $6,500. With many employers’ operations affected by COVID-19 closures, most students will be working remotely.
“This year, more than ever, I’m grateful that we’re able to provide guaranteed funding to all our students interested in both public service and judicial internships,” said Annie Kim ’99, assistant dean for public service and director of the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center. “PILA grants have been an important tradition at UVA Law for decades. I still remember opening my grant check as a 1L intern at the Fairfax Public Defender’s Office, back when PILA was called ‘Student Funded Fellowships’ and grants weren’t guaranteed.”
Student recipients are required to apply and qualify for the funding by volunteering their time for pro bono work — 40 hours for first-year students and 80 hours for second-year students. Grantees must also have secured a public service position and agree to donate hours back to PILA, which founded the grant program.
PILA holds a series of fundraising events each year, including an auction and book sale, to help raise money for grants.
This year, students volunteered about 9,528 hours, an average of 56 per student grantee.
Here’s a look at what four of the fellows have planned. (See full list of jobs and locations)
Taylor Fatherree ’22
Hometown: Napa, California
College/education: University of California at Berkeley, B.A. in peace and conflict; Santa Rosa Junior College
Summer job: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Washington, D.C.
What she’ll be doing: I’ll be aiding LDF with their work for racial justice, through, as they say, litigation, advocacy and public education. I hope to work in their criminal justice practice, supporting ongoing litigation and policy campaigns with legal research and writing.
Goals: I’m focused on criminal justice reform, so I’m looking forward to getting into the nitty gritty of how an organization can tackle systemic change through strategic litigation and policy advocacy. I hope to come away with a better sense of how local projects are conceived and organized to aid national reform. And of course, I’m looking to connect with and learn from people who are using their power and training to work toward a more just, more equitable society.
Austin Hetrick ’21
Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana
College/education: University of Wisconsin, Madison, B.A. in English; University of Virginia, Ph.D. in English
Summer job: Natural Resources Defense Council, New York
What he’ll be doing: I'll be supporting the staff at NRDC New York in one of several divisions: Energy & Transportation, Environmental Justice, Litigation, New York, Oceans, or Water. I'm hoping for Litigation, but wherever I end up, I'm looking forward to conducting legal research and writing in support of clean air, clean water and healthy communities.
Goals: NRDC brings together a diverse set of experts, and I’m excited to learn from all of them. I’m especially looking forward to learning how NRDC’s skilled attorneys prepare for complex litigation, but I’m also hoping to learn more about how the organization leverages partnerships, community advocacy and scientific expertise to advance its mission.
Donna Faye Imadi ’22
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
College/education: George Mason University, B.A. in global affairs, B.A. in international conflict analysis and resolution
Summer job: Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Competition, Technology Enforcement Division, Washington, D.C.
What she’ll be doing: The Bureau of Competition is critical to the enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws that form the foundation of our nation’s free-market economy, prohibiting monopolistic conduct and conspiracies in restraint of trade. At the newly designated Technology Enforcement Division, I will be working with attorneys in examining technology in markets (such as Facebook, Google and Amazon), monitoring competition, examining industry practices and conducting investigations. The Technology Enforcement Division also conducts prospective merger reviews in the tech sector. Especially pertinent will be issues in big tech.
Goals: In light of the shock to the global supply chain per COVID-19’s impact, I’ll pursue engaging on how our nation’s antitrust law enforcement will influence the economy’s ability to bounce back and provide sustenance for consumers in the marketplace. Further, I look forward to specifically contributing to cutting-edge work on technology enforcement (such as with Google, Amazon and Facebook) as it becomes increasingly significant in the lives of average Americans, reinvigorating a critical debate in the antitrust and policy realm about antitrust in the digital economy. My goals are to gain skills in analyzing how our regulatory laws will be molded in the new wave of 21st-century tech, in addition to working with attorneys on rapid development of how businesses can best coordinate in service to the American people amidst the global crisis.
Sydney Phipps ’22
Hometown: Dallas
College/education: Penn State University, B.S. in marketing
Summer job: Dallas County District Attorney’s Office
What she'll be doing: As an intern, I will assist the prosecutors and investigators with legal research and briefing, investigation of cases, preparation for trial, taking notes in the courtroom and helping wherever else is needed during trial. I will also be responsible for aiding in pretrial tasks like discovery, redactions, filing motions and subpoenaing records.
Goals: My primary goal for the summer is to gain exposure to the multiple trial courts and divisions in the office, as I am still deciding what areas of law I am most interested in. I am also hoping to improve my research and writing skills.
Founded in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation. Consistently ranked among the top law schools, Virginia is a world-renowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service.