LSFN Post-Graduate
Legal Fellowship
Supporting Tomorrow's Lawyers Today
The LSFN Post-Graduate Legal Fellowship program was designed in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic to address the needs of Bay Area Legal Services Organizations by connecting them to recent graduates of Bay Area Law Schools who are faced with a delay in their ability to take the California Bar Exam.
The inaugural cohort of Fellows completed their Fellowship in January 2021, collectively contributing more than 15,000 hours of legal services for communities in the Bay Area.
In February 2021, the LSFN hosted a virtual Stakeholder Briefing to disseminate key insights from the Fellowship's first year and allow Fellows to share their experiences.
To learn more, you can watch the Stakeholder Briefing or view the presentation, via the links below:
MEET
THE
2020 FELLOWS
We are excited to introduce the 2020 inaugural cohort of LSFN Legal Fellows and let them share "What inspires them to do public interest work?"
Eric Darway
Root & Rebound
I’m driven to public service work because I believe that money should not determine the quality of legal representation you receive nor should not determine if your voice is heard. I believe that our legal system should be accessible and equitable as a basic human right.
UC Hastings
Class of 2020
Stephanie Smallwood
Family Violence Law Center
Before even applying to law school I knew I wanted to help my community. Law school felt like the most logical way for me to provide help for those who are unable to help themselves. I am very passionate about creating a better life for the groups of people who suffer from economic, racial, and gender inequalities.
Golden Gate Law
Class of 2020
Tom Moore
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area
I am inspired to work in public service by interacting with different people in the Bay Area’s varied communities through both work and daily life. Everyone deserves access to justice and fair representation, regardless of income.
UC Hastings
Class of 2020
Victoria Lee
Legal Access Alameda
I’ve witnessed, first hand, the need for universal access to legal representation. Therefore, public service was my natural reaction because I want to prevent future injustice by ensuring that all people, especially those who are indigent, still have access to extraordinary representation.
Golden Gate Law
Class of 2020
Allyssa Rose
For the People
Solving the injustices we face in society can often seem intimidating. Yet, through public service we champion creative and innovative solutions to make lasting change in the communities around us, which can garner enough momentum to change society as a whole.
UC Hastings
Class of 2020
Norjmoo Battulga
LGBT Asylum Project
I've always wanted to work in the public interest field because I believe that everyone owes a duty to leave the world better than we found it. Helping others is my life's passion, especially as an someone privileged enough to attend higher education.
Golden Gate Law
Class of 2020
Swaalihi Abdul-Rahman
Legal Aid at Work
I think that that the legal system is unnecessarily complicated, and that many people, specifically marginalized folk, are often times unable to access necessary resources. I want to help bridge that (knowldge) gap. I've had certain privileges that have allowed me to pursue a legal education, I plan on leveraging (those) privileges to help where I can.
UC Hastings
Class of 2020
Valentina Sacchi Beccarini
Open Door Legal
I've been working as a linguistic consultant for the Public Prosecutor's Office in Italy (remote for the past 3ys and a half) for the past 10 years now and I have seen it all, especially when immigrants were involved. Now, as expat, I understand even more what the struggle is and I want to do my part to help those who do not have privileges.