With help from a record $989,000 in grants, 163 University of Virginia School of Law students will work in public service roles this summer.
The Law School’s Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center awarded $944,000 in UVA Law Public Service Summer Grants to 120 first-year and 43 second-year students — a $32,000 increase from last year. First-year students receive $5,000 and second-year students receive $8,000. The public service grants are funded by gifts to the Law School Foundation from alumni and other donors, including flagship endowments named for Linda Fairstein ’72, David Baldacci ’86 and Mortimer Caplin ’40.
The student-run Public Interest Law Association’s PILA+ program offers additional money to grant recipients who receive little financial assistance other than the UVA Law grant. PILA raised $45,000 for the PILA+ program this past year, which went to 38 students who received $1,200 each.
“These summer positions are tremendous opportunities for our students to get hands-on experience and set themselves up for future success,” said Ryan Faulconer ’08, assistant dean for public service and director of the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center. “The commitment of our alumni to funding these grants allowed our students to respond quickly and resourcefully to an increasingly volatile public service job market this year, and the variety of jobs shows just how many ways lawyers can make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
Grant recipients are required to apply and qualify for the funding by volunteering for pro bono work (40 hours for the first grant and an additional 20 hours for a grant in a subsequent year). This year, students volunteered over 8,990 hours, an average of 55 per grantee. Grantees must also have secured a public service or judicial internship position and agree to work at least 320 hours for their summer employers.
To be eligible for PILA+ funding, a student must first receive a Public Service Center grant.
Morgan Wood ’26, PILA’s former grant director, said many summer positions at public defenders, legal aids, nonprofits and prosecutor offices are unpaid, and students who dream of working in the public interest face hard decisions about how to support themselves if they take these positions.
“The PILA+ grant makes it that much easier for students to do this work,” she added, “and having an extra set of hands over the summer makes a real difference to folks living in underserved communities where these positions are located.”
Here’s a look at four of the fellows’ summer plans. (See full list of jobs and locations)
Joe Keys ’27
Hometown: Cary, North Carolina
College/education: King’s College London, master’s degree in philosophy; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, bachelor’s degree in philosophy and global studies
Summer job: Ayuda, a nonprofit that assists low-income immigrants in the Washington, D.C. area
What he’ll be doing: “I’ll be working with Ayuda’s immigration team to provide legal services to low-income immigrants from around the world. Under the supervision of a staff attorney, I’ll assist in preparing filings for U.S. citizenship, as well as matters involving custody, guardianship and adoption. I’ll also assist with client representation in Immigration Court and help draft motions and other court documents.”
Goals: “My goal is to build a solid foundation in immigration law while supporting Ayuda’s staff attorneys in guiding underserved clients through the complexities of today’s immigration system. Ultimately, I hope to discern whether a career in immigration law is the right path for me.”
Andrew Lee ’27
Hometown: Centreville, Virginia
College/education: Duke University, bachelor’s degree in economics
Summer job: Legal Services of Northern Virginia
What he’ll be doing: “I will assist disadvantaged clients with public benefits, housing and other civil legal needs. I will conduct legal research and draft documents like pleadings and motions, help attorneys prepare for court hearings and administrative proceedings, and participate in client interviews to assess case eligibility.”
Goals: “As a Fairfax County resident since I was 3 years old, I am excited to apply my legal skills to empower people where I call home. I hope to better understand the overlooked need in my community and build bridges with people who are different from me. I want to learn how to be a compassionate advocate by serving in direct representation.”
Ayda Mengistie ’26
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
College/education: Cornell University, bachelor’s degree in applied economics and management
Summer Job: Kings County (N.Y.) District Attorney’s Office
What she’ll be doing: “This summer, I’ll be working alongside prosecutors at the Kings County DA’s Office, focusing on the early stages of criminal prosecution. I’ll be assisting the Investigations Bureau with cases, gaining firsthand experience in how investigations are conducted and how cases are built from the ground up. I also look forward to conducting legal research, observing court proceedings and contributing to the foundational steps that move a case forward.”
Goals: “My long-term goal is to build a career in prosecution, where I can combine my commitment to public service with a strong sense of justice. I’m especially driven to work in communities that have often faced systemic barriers to equitable treatment, ensuring the legal system operates fairly and with integrity for all. In addition to domestic prosecution, I’m also interested in international prosecution and the pursuit of accountability in cases involving human rights violations and transnational crime.”
Cayleigh Soderholm ’26
Hometown: Oahu, Hawaii
College/education: Georgetown University, bachelor’s degree in foreign service
Summer job: U.S. Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser; State of Hawaii, Department of the Attorney General
What she’ll be doing: “At the State Department, I’ll be doing legal research to support the office’s work advising government officials on international law and U.S. foreign relations law. I’m assigned to the Office of Economic and Business Affairs, and to the Office of Human Rights and Refugees. At the Hawaii Attorney General’s Office, I’ll be working on a wide variety of state government law issues, including litigation in state and federal courts on issues affecting the interests of the state and the people of Hawaii.”
Goals: “I’m passionate about promoting governance that is effective, ethical and respectful of the rule of law. So this summer, I’m excited to serve both my country and my home state, and to explore several different ways to be a government lawyer — federal versus state, advisory versus litigation and so on. Long-term, I hope to work in a government role or for a nonprofit organization and to focus on issues concerning international law, foreign relations law and constitutional rights.”
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.
