eja 30 years

American University Washington College of Law

The following American University Washington College of Law students have received fellowships from Equal Justice America. These fellowships are made possible by contributions from American University alumni. With continued support from the alumni, we look forward to putting many more American University law students and graduates to work providing vitally needed legal assistance to people in need.

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(Equal Justice America is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation unaffiliated with any law school.)
Please click the links below to read more about the students’ EJA Fellowships.

"It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve survivors of domestic violence with the amazing attorneys at Ayuda since March. The work we do is so important, and I am honored that our clients have trusted me to handle their legal issues. People say not to bring work home with you, but I do bring my work home because I know what I do affects our clients’ lives. I feel the gravity of my work every day, and I am glad I can do some small things to improve the lives of our clients."
Caroline Gillis
American University Washington College of Law
EJA Summer Fellow, 2020
  • Summer 2022
    • Alexis Boyd worked at Advocates for Justice in New York.
    • Esther Davila worked in the Public Benefits Unit at the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.
    • Nicole Gasmen worked at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) in Silver Spring, MD.
    • Karla Manzanares worked in the Immigrant Protection Unit at the New York Legal Assistance Group.
    • Miguel Serrano worked at Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities in Washington, DC.
    • Asritha Vinnakota worked at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau in Cambridge, MA.
  • Summer 2021
  • Summer 2020
  • Summer 2019
    • Toye Adenkan worked at Bread for the City in DC.
    • Shadia Ajam worked at Human Rights First in New York City.
    • Ryan Durazo and Lili Lowell worked at Ayuda in DC.
    • Natalia Meade worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (a project of the American Bar Association) in Harlingen, TX.
  • Fall 2018
    • Chelsea Lalancette worked at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.
One thing that really amazed me this summer [at Bay Area Legal Aid] was the strength and effectiveness of the attorneys I worked for. It was refreshing and reassuring to see legal aid attorneys working in my chosen field and doing such a great job helping the community. Not only did I gain invaluable experience and knowledge this summer, but I gained a few role models. I cannot thank Equal Justice America enough for your involvement in making this happen.
Jacqueline Studley
American University Washington College of Law
EJA Fellow
EJA Summer Fellow, 2017
  • Summer 2018
    • Arielle Chapnick worked at Ayuda in DC.
    • Caroline Raschbaum worked in the Detained Children’s Program at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition DC.
    • Stephanie Todd worked at GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) in Boston.
    • Matti Vagnoni worked at the Pro Bono Institute in Washington, DC.
    • David Wasserstein worked in the Public Benefits Unit at the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.
  • Summer 2017
    • Laila Ayub worked at the Urban Justice Center in New York City.
    • Marissa Ditkowsky worked at Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities in DC.
    • Courtney Knippen worked at the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC.
    • Paulina Rivera worked at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in Washington, DC.
    • Angela St. Pierre worked in the Milk with Dignity Program at Migrant Justice in Burlington, VT.
    • Jacqueline Studley worked at Bay Area Legal Aid in Oakland, CA
    • Stephanie Todd worked at the Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services Program in DC.
  • Summer 2016
    • Isabelle Askanas worked at North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services in Raleigh.
    • Luz Beato worked at Bread for the City and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs in DC.
    • Katherine Conway worked at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in DC.
    • Kristin Donovan worked at the Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville, VA.
    • Elizabeth Leman worked the Neighborhood Legal Services Program in DC.
    • Lou Metsu worked at the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas in Dallas.
    • Christina Moehrle worked at The Bronx Defenders.
    • Alexandra Williams worked at Mil Mujeres Legal Services in DC.
  • Fall 2015
    • Cecilia Lopez worked at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) in Baltimore, MD.
  • Summer 2015
    • Katherine Beck worked at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition.
    • Kristin Donovan worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Sara Fairchild worked at Public Defender Service – Juvenile Services Program in Washington, DC.
    • Christina Moehrle worked at Brooklyn Defender Services – Immigration Practice.
    • Megan Race worked at the Amara Legal Center in Washington, DC.

I would again like to thank EJA for providing me this unique opportunity this summer. I am proud to be an EJA fellow, and hope donors continue to support this wonderful program so that future aspiring attorneys can take advantage of the public service opportunities available to them.

Troy Adenkan
American University Washington College of Law
EJA Fellow
EJA Summer Fellow, 2019
  • Summer 2012
    • Amy Gellatly worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
    • Lydia Gottesfeld worked at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia.
    • Patricia Muñoz worked at Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services in Washington DC.
    • Thais-Lyn Trayer worked at Legal Counsel for the Elderly in Washington, DC.
  • Spring 2012
    • Cindy Hong worked at the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center in Washington, DC.
    • Monica Maldonado worked at Ayuda in Sterling, VA.
  • Summer 2011
    • Amy Anthony worked at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau.
    • Elena Landriscina worked at The Legal Aid Society in New York.
    • Renuka Nagaraj worked at Legal Services of South Central Michigan.
    • Regina Verret worked at Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE) in Washington, DC.
    • Zach Zarnow worked at Public Justice in Washington, DC.
  • Summer 2010
    • Janet Choi worked at Farmworker Justice in Washington, DC.
    • Bryan Evans worked at Bread for the City in Washington, DC.
    • Erica McKnight worked at the Legal Aid Society of DC.
    • Amy Smith worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
  • Spring 2010
    • Shahna Esber worked at the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) in Washington, DC.
    • Rebecca Walters worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
  • Spring 2009
    • Edgar Ndjatou and Edmundo Saballos worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
    • Emily Sala worked at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights in Washington, DC.
  • Summer 2008
    • Gillian Chadwick worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
    • Elizabeth Jordan worked at the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC.
    • Sarah Purce worked at the Northwest Justice Project in Seattle.
    • Sherra Wong worked at Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services in Washington, DC.
  • Summer 2007
    • Jessica Farb worked at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco.
    • Parag Khandhar worked at Legal Services of Northern Virginia in Fairfax, VA.
    • Gabrielle Mulnick worked at the Children’s Law Center.
    • Nuri Nusrat worked at the East Bay Community Law Center.
    • Shilpa Ram worked at the National Center for Youth Law in Oakland, CA.
  • Summer 2006
    • Sabrina Balgamwalla worked at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco.
    • Jessica Farb worked at Ayuda Legal Aid in Washington, D.C.
    • Shilpa Ram worked at the Boston Medical Center’s Medical Legal Partnership for Children.

This fellowship reaffirmed my decision to attend law school and reaffirmed my passion to help the underserved. I’ve learned from this fellowship how fortunate I am to be in such a position where I can help so many individuals who have been wronged seek justice and obtain a better life. Without EJA I would not have been afforded such an opportunity to move to Texas for the summer and serve these individuals who so desperately need our help. Thank you for the extraordinary opportunity and eye-opening experience.

Lou Metsu
American University
EJA Fellow
EJA Summer Fellow, 2016
  • Summer 2005
    • Deborah Morgan worked at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago.
  • Spring 2005
    • Heather Morris worked at Women Empowered Against Violence in Washington, D.C.
    • Lilah Rosenblum worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
  • Summer 2004
    • Ricardo Pitts-Wiley worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
    • Debra Sudo worked at the Harriet Bahai Center for Family Law in Los Angeles, CA.
  • Summer 2003
    • Laura D’Afflitti and Dana V. Kaplan worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
    • Anne K. Leete worked at the Legal Aid Society of DC.
    • Jessica Salsbury worked at the Virginia Justice Center.
  • Fall 2002
    • Stephanie Hepburn worked at Ayuda Legal Aid.
    • Elizabeth Popolis worked at the Chicago Legal Clinic.
  • Summer 2002
    • Aaron Cervantes worked at Texas Rural Legal Aid.
  • Spring 2002
    • Lysandra Lopez-Medina worked at the Neighborhood Legal Services Program in Washington, D.C.
    • Melanie Orhant worked at the CAIR
      Coalition in Washington, D.C.
I can’t believe my summer internship with Ayuda has finally come to an end. I feel so lucky to have worked with such incredible, strong, and resilient clients. Despite all they’ve gone through, they keep moving forward and continue to be valuable members of our community. It was truly an honor to assist them with their immigration cases and help them achieve their goals. I am very grateful to Equal Justice America for funding my summer internship so that I could help Ayuda serve Washington, DC’s immigrant population.
Arielle Chapnick
American University Washington College of Law
EJA Fellow
EJA Summer Fellow, 2018
  • Fall 2001
    • Lysandra Lopez-Medina worked at the Neighborhood Legal Services Program.
    • Melanie Orhant worked at the DC Employment Justice Center.
  • Summer 2001
    • Amy Bowles worked at Legal Services of Northern Virginia.
    • Heather Brown worked at WEAVE.
    • Jaclyn Okin worked at the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights.
    • Jennifer Scrafford worked at the Northwest Women’s Law Center in Seattle, WA.
    • Stacy Strich worked at the D.C. Court Appointed Special Advocates.
  • Summer 2000
    • Angel Feng worked at the Legal Aid Society of San Francisco.
    • Jennifer Leaman worked at Ayuda Legal Aid.
    • Jennifer McKeever worked at the Charlottesville-Albermarle Legal Aid Society in Charlottesville, VA.
  • Summer 1999
    • Sarah Oppenheim worked at Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Bangor, ME.
    Spring 1998 
    • Tanya Jones worked at the Legal Aid Society of DC.

© 2021 EQUAL JUSTICE AMERICA and the Equal Justice America logo are registered trademarks of Equal Justice America.
Equal Justice America is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, EIN number 13-3708596

This organization supports and values the uniqueness of all individuals and promotes a work environment where diversity is embraced.

© 2021 EQUAL JUSTICE AMERICA and the Equal Justice America logo are registered trademarks of Equal Justice America.
Equal Justice America is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, EIN number 13-3708596

This organization supports and values the uniqueness of all individuals and promotes a work environment where diversity is embraced.