Alumni Spotlight: Olivia Mathias '14

Olivia Mathias graduated from UHLC in May 2014 and is currently employed as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, at the Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance - Catholic Charities. Many victims of human trafficking in the Greater Houston area lack access to the full range of legal assistance to meet their varied legal needs that extend beyond immigration relief, so her project will provide holistic legal representation to victims of human trafficking in Houston and create a framework in which non-profits and pro bono attorneys can meet clients’ wide-ranging legal needs.  She took some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions:

1. How did you obtain your first job out of law school?

I started law school knowing that I wanted to practice public interest law. As such, an Equal Justice Works Fellowship was on my radar from the beginning. During my 3L year I worked with the supervising attorney of the Crime Victims Program at Cabrini to develop my project and then went through the steps of the Equal Justice Works Fellowship application process.

2. What experiences/internships did you have that you found to be helpful or beneficial in your job search and career thus far?

My work with immigrant populations quickly exposed me to the human trafficking crisis in Houston. That exposure came from my internships during law school with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Children at Risk, and at the Mexican Foreign Ministry. As a firm believer that freedom is a precursor to the exercise of any other right, I became interested in representing victims as they seek to avail themselves of the rights and remedies for which they qualify. As an Equal Justice Works Fellow, I have been able carry out my work in advancing fundamental human freedoms as part of larger network of public interest attorneys with similar goals. Because of the internships I had throughout law school, those partnerships were easier to cultivate. As a Fellow, I am also supported by the experience and vision of my host organization, Catholic Charities’ Cabrini Center, and my sponsor, Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

3. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to current law students?

I would advise all students working towards a career in public interest law to apply for an Equal Justice Works Fellowship. The Equal Justice Works Fellowship is a unique opportunity because it allows applicants to create projects that are unique to their interests and aspirations and addresses a pressing need in an underserved community that would otherwise be unmet.  Because of the intimate role I had in developing the project, I am profoundly committed to its success and sustainability.

An Equal Justice Works Fellowship allows a Fellow to launch her public interest career with a dream job the applicant designed.  The Fellow is expected to own the project, accomplish its goals within the two-year span of the Fellowship, and develop plans for sustaining the work.  An Equal Justice Works Fellowship is designed to cultivate the Fellow’s growth and development as a future public interest leader with training and access to an incomparable nationwide network of public interest leaders and experts in wide-ranging fields.

If you would like to connect with Olivia to learn more about her career path, please see your counselor in the Career Development Office. To learn more about Equal Justice Works Fellowships, go to: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/post-grad/equal-justice-works-fellowships.

Resource Roundtable - Take Control of Your Future: A Guide to Managing Your Student Debt

We’re excited to announce that Equal Justice Works’ student debt e-book, Take Control of Your Future: A Guide to Managing Your Student Debt, is now available free online. Take Control of Your Future is a comprehensive guide to managing student debt, with chapters on understanding student loans and loan consolidation, planning before borrowing, income-driven repayment plans and a step-by-step guide to earning Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Equal Justice Works also provides monthly student debt webinars. This month, the webinar will be on Tuesday,November 25, 2014 from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST. This is a great opportunity to ask questions. They'll also have an updated on what is happening in Congress regarding the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and any legislation that might affect Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. Equal Justice Works provides a continuum of programs that begin with incoming law school students and extend into later careers in the profession. We provide the nation’s leading public interest law fellowship program and offer more postgraduate, full-time legal positions in public service than any other organization.

Peggy Browning Fellowship Program

The Peggy Browning Fellowship Program provides stipends to 60 to 70 law students who dedicate their summer to advancing the cause of workers' rights by working for labor unions, worker centers, the U.S. Department of Labor, union-side law firms and other nonprofit organizations.  Summer Fellowship stipends will be a minimum of $5,000 per student for the ten-week employment period.  In many cases, mentor organizations will supplement the stipend.

The Peggy Browning Fund works closely with their mentor organizations to ensure that each fellow experiences unique and challenging work assignments. Fellows gain the practical skills required to represent workers and enjoy opportunities to network with their peers and leaders in the field of public interest labor law. 

The ten-week summer fellowship is available to 1st and 2nd year law students. The deadline to apply is January 17, 2014. Go to http://www.peggybrowningfund.org/fellowships for more information.

Public Interest Opportunity of the Week – International Human Rights Fellowship

Human Rights Watch (New York and Washington, DC) seeks law students and graduate students for a full-time, paid International Human Rights Fellowship beginning in September, 2014. Fellows monitor and draft reports on human rights developments in various countries, conduct on-site investigations, and engage in advocacy and media outreach aimed at publicizing and curtailing human rights violations. 

Deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 1, 2013. For more details and application instructions, log into the Public Policy Handbook (available under “shortcuts” on the right hand side of your Symplicity homepage).

Equal Justice Works – Upcoming Programs and Deadlines for Graduating 3Ls

Equal Justice Works (EJW) is an organization dedicated to mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice.  EJW hosts the largest public interest career fair in the nation, and provides a staggering number of fellowship opportunities to public interest lawyers.

 2013 EJW Fellowship Program

Create your own job!  The Equal Justice Works Fellowship Program partners talented lawyers wanting to pursue public interest legal careers with host organizations and sponsors to support projects that serve underrepresented populations across the country. The two-year, postgraduate fellowships allow attorneys passionate about public interest law to develop and implement new legal projects that impact thousands of lives and serve communities in desperate need of legal assistance. Fellows receive a competitive salary and generous loan repayment assistance, a national training and leadership development program and additional support during their tenure.  Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2013.  Students interested in this opportunity should visit with a career counselor about proposal ideas and the application process.  See also the EJW Fellowship site.

Hear what Sarah Loeffler, a recent grad of UHLC, had to say about her then upcoming EJW Fellowship with the Montgomery County Women’s Center:

"When I entered law school, I knew that I wanted to work in the area of public interest law and I knew that I wanted to work with victims of domestic violence.  But, my ideas ended there.  With some amazing mentorship with my internship at the Montgomery County Women's Center and help from many at UHLC, I began to envision exactly which problems I wanted to fix in the area of domestic violence law and how I wanted to fix them.  However, finding a job which met these specifications was nearly impossible.

I realized that an EJW fellowship would allow me to make the changes I envisioned for domestic violence victims--in essence creating my ideal job.  I have no idea what the next two years will bring.  But, I know that I want to help people.  I know that with the help of professors and career counselors and supervising attorneys, I have created a project that can affect change because it focuses on the gaps in the law.  So, my hope for the next two years is to make lasting change, however that may come.  Whether it is all of Montgomery County, ten people, two people, I know I want to make a lasting difference in the best way I know how.  And, I know that my EJW fellowship will give me that capacity to make that difference, to fill the gaps, and to finally fulfill those early ambitions."

2013 AmeriCorps Legal Fellowships – Veterans Legal Corp

The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowship program was created in 1993 to address the gaps in the legal aid community through pro bono management and direct representation. Starting in August 2013, AmeriCorps Legal Fellows will focus almost exclusively on serving the legal needs of veterans. Veterans Legal Corps Fellows and law students will provide legal assistance to low-income and homeless veterans with issues related to disability benefits claims, barriers to housing and employment, debt, family law, and other legal issues.  

The first class of Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Veterans Legal Corps Fellows will begin their service in August and September and serve for one year with the likelihood of renewal for an additional year.  Lawyers interested in becoming a Veterans Legal Corps Fellow can visit the Equal Justice Works website for host site locations and available positions.  Equal Justice Works will continue to post more fellowship positions through the end of July as they become open.  Applicants should check the website regularly.

Details on the UHLC Graduate Fellowship program are here!

The Graduate Fellowship program helps graduates productively bridge the time between sitting for a bar exam and receiving bar results.  The goal of the fellowship program is to expand a graduate's experience/resume and increase their connections in the legal market while working with a government or non-profit legal organization.  Fellows will also participate in the Career Development Office’s bi-weekly career coaching & counseling program.

A completed application includes an application, a current resume and the agency agreement and will not be accepted if the applicant has not met with the Public Interest Advisor and your 3L counselor.  All completed applications are due Friday, May 17, 2013 – NO EXCEPTIONS. 

A limited number of fellowships are available.  Interested grads should make note of the three step application process: 

(1) No later than April 26th (prior to arranging placement) make an appointment with the Public Interest Advisor, Bhavika Shah. You will meet with her and your 3L counselor together to discuss placement options relevant to your career goals (schedule appointments here); 

(2) Submit your application to your organization, gain approval, and have your organization submit the Agency Agreement by May 17, 2013; and

(3) Email your application and resume to Bhavika Shah at bashah2@central.uh.edu and Anna Julia at amjulia@central.uh.edu in the Career Development Office also by May 17, 2013.

Fellows will earn $4000 for 10 weeks of part-time work between August and November. 

Additional information along with Applications and Agency Agreements can be found here.

Announcing the UHLC 2013 Summer Public Interest Fellows!

The results are in and the awardees are listed below! Congratulations to our 2013 Public Interest Fellows!

Eman Arabi-Katbi            

Allison Arterberry           

Ahmed Atik                       

Kaitlyn Bailey                    

Daniel Bradley                  

Alexis Braun                      

Nimra Chowdhry             

Lauren Fisher                    

Andrew Geppert            

Ariell Hardy                        

Salma Hasan                      

Kevin Hooker                    

Brian Hutchison                               

Mark Jessup                      

Nandini Kavuri                  

Drew Kwartler                  

Theresa Langley                              

Kim Lewinski                     

Olivia Mathias                   

Clay Nelson                       

Ingrid Norsberg                               

Mary Prejean                   

Leah Robbins                    

Mycah Robinson             

Aimee Rodriguez            

Amir Roohi                         

Jason Schultz                    

Josephine Sorgwe          

Jon-Ross Trevino             

Rebekah Wendt                              

For all other students planning on working in a public interest position this summer, remember that you may be eligible to apply for work study funding. Otherwise you can volunteer or earn academic credit. If you are interested in academic credit, more information can be found at: http://www.law.uh.edu/clinic/externfaq.asp#3.

2013 Summer Public Interest Fellowship - Applications are currently being accepted!

Through the UHLC SummerPublic Interest Fellowship, students can receive up to $400 a week for a minimum of 5 weeks and a maximum of 10 weeks for their summer public interest work.  

Students are responsible for choosing the agency, arranging their placement, and submitting all required applications and forms by the deadline. 

Still looking for placement? Don’t forget to visit the Symplicity Job Bank, Government Honors and Internship Handbook, and PSJD. The last two resources can be found on the right hand side of your Symplicity homepage under “Shortcuts.” 

Applications will be accepted until March 20, 2013. For more information about the program and how to apply, go to: http://www.law.uh.edu/pil/summer/homepage.asp 

If you have any further questions, please contact Bhavika Shah in the Career Development Office.

Upcoming Public Interest Fellowships

We’re excited to announce several  fellowship opportunities for 1L and 2L students to apply to this summer! 

UHLC Summer Fellowships
The Law Center has a long standing commitment to supporting students who volunteer with legal departments of government agencies and non-profit organizations for the summer. Awardees of the UHLC Summer Fellowship receive up to $400 a week for a minimum of 5 weeks and a maximum of 10 weeks for their summer work. The deadline to apply for this fellowship is March 20, 2013. Remember that you must have already secured your summer placement in order to be considered for this fellowship. The selection process is competitive, so it’s important that students are aware of external fellowship opportunities as well.

Texas Access to Justice Commission (TAJC)
TAJC’s internship program provides 12 students with a $5,000 stipend to help defray living cost to those committing 10 weeks of full-time work with specified organizations.  Similar to the UHLC Summer Fellowship applicants must have secured their summer placement by the application deadline, which is March 1, 2013.  Check the Texas Access to Justice Commission site for more information regarding specifics about the fellowship, including how to apply and participating organizations.

Blask Fellowship

Those working in offices of a federal court or agency located within the Southern District of Texas should certainly apply for the Blask Fellowship Grant, which awards $2,000 to recipients for 6 weeks of work with a number of courts and agencies within the Southern District of Texas federal court system.  Applicants must have completed at least 30 hours of course work, and at the time of application, have a GPA which ranks in the top half of the applicant’s law school class, and have secured or will secure an internship with a federal court or agency within the district.  The deadline to apply for the Blask Fellowship Grant has traditionally been in early April; we will update our site as soon as we have 2013 application information.

Equal Justice Works (EJW) Summer Corps

This is an AmeriCorps-funded program that will provide 350 law students with the opportunity to earn a $1,175 education award voucher for dedicating their summer to a non-academic qualifying legal project at a nonprofit public interest organization.  Unlike the other fellowships mentioned here, the Summer Corps award can be combined with another fellowship award. 

Houston Intellectual Property Law (HIPLA) Judicial Fellowship

HIPLA provides a unique judicial fellowship opportunity to Houston area law students who intend to practice intellectual property law, have completed 30 hours of course work, and are ranked in the top half of their class.  Awardees will receive $3,000 for working at least six weeks in the Houston offices of a U.S. District Court Judge or a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, or at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

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These fellowship opportunities are just a few of the funding sources available to students, and are certainly not an exhaustive list.  Public interest career resources such as PSJD offer many other resources.  A few things to remember when applying for public interest fellowships:

• Consult your career counselor!  Your counselor can help you identify fellowships relevant to your interests, as well as review your application materials before submission.  Remember, the UHLC Summer Fellowship applications are reviewed by an independent committee, so we can review and assist you with your application materials for that fellowship too.

• Leave no stone unturned!  There a numerous fellowship opportunities, many of which are practice area or region specific.  Apply!  Apply!  Apply!

• You cannot get class credit and funding, so you will have to decide whether you would like to participate in the externship or fellowship program.

• You can usually only accept one fellowship.  Due to the limited supply of funds and great need to fund fellows, students are limited to accepting one fellowship.  We recommend you apply to multiple opportunities to have the best chance of securing funding.

• Fellowship application processes are highly competitive, but exceedingly rewarding.  Secure your placement early, and submit the most genuinely compelling application possible.  Remember, we are here to help!

Peggy Browning Fellowship Program

The Peggy Browning Fellowship Program provides $5,000 stipends to approximately 60-70 law students who dedicate their summer to advancing the cause of workers' rights by working for labor unions, worker centers, the U.S. Department of Labor, union-side law firms and other nonprofit organizations.  The Peggy Browning Fund works closely with their mentor organizations to ensure that each fellow experiences unique and challenging work assignments.  

The ten-week summer fellowship is available to 1st and 2nd year law students. The deadline to apply is January 18, 2013. Go to http://www.peggybrowningfund.org/fellowships for more information.