Record $750,000 in PILA Grants Awarded to 162 Students Working in Public Interest This Summer

With the help of a historically high $750,000 in grants, 162 University of Virginia School of Law students will work in public service roles this summer.

The grants, which will benefit 128 first-year students and 34 second-year students, are awarded through a partnership between the Law School’s Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center and the student-run Public Interest Law Association.

Gifts by alumni and donors are the primary sources of funding. PILA also holds a series of fundraising events each year, including an auction and book sale, to help raise money for grants. First-years receive $4,000 and second-years $7,000.

“Grants for both 1Ls and 2Ls were increased this year, thanks to the generosity of our alumni, donors and the Law School Foundation,” said Annie Kim ’99, assistant dean for public service and director of the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center. “I’m so pleased that this increased funding and the launch of our new Democracy Summer Fellowship are giving more financial support than ever to our public service students.”

Grant 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 or judicial internship position and agree to volunteer their services for fundraising and other public service projects through PILA. This year, students volunteered over 5,000 hours, an average of 31 per student grantee.

“This tumultuous year of social isolation has been tough,” PILA President Elizabeth Harris ’22 said. “It is even more of an honor than usual this summer to see our students working diligently toward effectuating change for the better, and advocating for critically important societal causes.”

Here’s a look at what four of the fellows have planned. (See full list of jobs and locations)

Montell Brown ’23

Hometown: Cincinnati

College/education: University of Pennsylvania, B.A. in criminology, M.S.Ed in urban education

Summer job: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

What he’ll be doing: I will be helping the assistant U.S. attorneys with legal research and writing, aiding trial preparation, developing trial advocacy skills and observing court proceedings. I will be working in both the Criminal Division and the Civil Division to receive a wide breadth of experience inside the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I will work on a variety of issues with a special emphasis on violations of civil rights, crimes against children and public corruption. Finally, I will gain an in-depth exposure to the role of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in protecting the community while ensuring justice.

Goals: Throughout this experience, it is my goal to gain a deeper understanding of how the criminal justice system operates. I have had experience on the state and local level. Now, I will learn the intricacies of the federal criminal justice system in order to observe the disparities that exist on this level, while remaining steadfast in my commitment to ensuring equitable and just outcomes for all who are involved in the criminal justice system. Lastly, I want to learn how federal prosecutors use their legal skills and the full force of the federal government to seek justice in the United States.

Madeleine Hart ’23

Hometown: Long Beach, California

College/education: University of California, Irvine, B.A. in psychology

Summer job: Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office

What she’ll be doing: I’ll be participating in the summer law clerk program at Los Angeles County Public Defenders. The summer will be split in half at two different offices in the county. At each, I will be assisting deputy public defenders on a wide range of tasks, including writing briefs and motions, and assisting with investigations. If COVID-19 cases in the L.A. area stay low, I will also be able to participate in client interviews.

Goals: My goals for the summer are mainly to gain a deeper understanding of the day-to-day work of a public defender. Working directly with clients is a part of the job of being a public defender that particularly appeals to me, so I am really hoping that I will be able to help out with client interviews. Furthermore, I am looking forward to sharpening some of the practical legal skills I acquired during 1L year and getting to apply them in actual cases. I am also just very excited to get to return home and help provide an important service to people in my community.

Sujaya Rajguru ’22

Hometown: Lakeland, Florida

College/education: University of Florida, B.A. in history

Summer job: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Washington, D.C.

What she’ll be doing: I will be assisting LDF’s litigation and advocacy efforts through legal research and writing, factual investigations, discovery review, and developing educational and outreach materials.

Goals: I am excited to have the opportunity to contribute to LDF’s work fighting racial injustice and to meet individuals who are also committed to this mission. I look forward to learning more about working at a nonprofit and about the intricacies of LDF’s advocacy efforts.

Tim Shriver ’22

Hometown: Chevy Chase, Maryland

Education: Yale University, B.A. in ethics, politics and economics

Summer job: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section, Washington, D.C.

What he’ll be doing: I am working for the Special Litigation Section within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. The Special Litigation Section is probably best known for its patterns and practices investigations of police departments. But it also works to protect the civil rights of individuals in correctional facilities and the juvenile justice system and individuals with disabilities in state institutions, as well as individuals with religious liberty claims in correctional facilities (under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act) and individuals seeking to access reproductive health (under the FACE Act). I hope to focus on police work but would be excited to work in any of the areas.

Goals: My goals are to learn as much as I can about the expansive work of the section and get to know the incredible lawyers there. I’m seriously considering applying to the DOJ Honors Program after school, and I hope my time this summer will clarify for me whether that is the right path.