In May, Equal Justice America welcomed its 2026 class of Summer Fellows as law students prepared to begin work with legal aid and civil-rights organizations across the country.

The long-term impact of an Equal Justice America Fellowship is not always measured by whether an alumnus remains in traditional legal practice.

Sometimes the experience helps a young lawyer discover an entirely different way to create change.

More than a decade ago, Matthew Young spent a summer as an Equal Justice America Fellow while attending Harvard Law School. Today, Dr. Matt Young is both a physician and attorney and a partner at Ross Feller Casey in Philadelphia, where he represents patients and families harmed by medical negligence.

When Equal Justice America talks about building the next generation of public interest lawyers, the impact extends far beyond a single summer.

A’Niya Robinson is one example.