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Texans for Equal Justice

In 2009, Equal Justice America launched its Texans for Equal Justice campaign to increase legal services to the poor by creating additional Law Student Fellowships in the state, putting more law students to work with Texas legal aid organizations.

Funding for EJA Fellowships for Baylor University, South Texas College of Law, Southern Methodist University, St. Mary’s University, Texas A&M University, Texas Southern University, Texas Tech University and University of Houston law students derive from our Texans for Equal Justice campaign. (To be eligible for an EJA Fellowship, students from these schools must find placements with legal aid organizations in Texas.)

The following law students have received Equal Justice America Fellowships since our launch of Texans for Equal Justice. Your support will help us expand our program to put more law students to work in Texas on behalf of the poor.

We Need Your Help!

(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.

I am grateful for TRLA’s continued devotion to its clerks, who are fortunate enough to grow under the care and guidance of such zealous advocates. This experience would not have been imaginable without EJA’s generosity. I hope to pay it forward to the fellows to come, who undoubtedly will contribute to the larger effort of equal justice.
Samantha Shaps
Southern Methodist University Dedman School Of Law
EJA Summer Fellow, 2023
  • Summer 2023
    • Clara Altfeld (University of Texas) worked in the New Projects Team at Texas Appleseed in Austin.
    • Luca Azzariti Crousillat (University of Texas) worked at the ACLU of Texas in Houston.
    • Nina Colombotos (University of Texas), Joshua McClain (University of Texas), Mark Scheldberg (University of Texas), Samantha Shaps (Southern Methodist), Joyang Wu (University of Texas) and Xinyue Zhu (Cornell) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Katie Garcia (Stanford) worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund in San Antonio.
    • Emily Pratt (American University) worked at the ABA South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) in Harlingen.
    • Jarrett Prchal (Stanford) worked in the Community Revitalization Project at the Legal Aid of Northwest Texas in Fort Worth.
    • Alana Rodriguez (University of Michigan) worked at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) in Houston.
    • Cory Williams (South Texas) worked in the Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance at the Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
  • Summer 2022
    • Adrienne Allen (University of Texas) and Taliah Mirmalek (UC Berkeley) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Lawryn Brown (University of Texas) and Christian Green (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Casey Glasser (George Washington University) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project in Austin.
    • Jahnavi Jagannath (NYU) worked at the Texas Fair Defense Project in Austin.
    • Ritika Kumar (University of Texas) and Michelle Nguyen (University of Texas) worked at Texas Appleseed in Austin.
    • Sabrina Rodriguez (St. Mary's University) and Carson Smith (University of Texas) worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in San Antonio.
  • Summer 2021
    • Isaac Chavira (University of Texas) worked at American Gateways in Austin.
    • McKenzie Green (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Fair Defense Project in Austin.
    • Gloria Jones (University of Texas), Jamie McClintock (University of Texas), Jamie Packs (University of Pennsylvania), Simone Washington (Boston College) and Marguerite Zamora (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Lauren Kazen (Cornell) worked at the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
    • Therese Klauck (University of Texas) worked at the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas in Dallas.
    • Gladys Marcos (Southern Methodist University) worked at the International Rescue Committee in Dallas.
    • Meghan Murphy (Boston College) and Cruz Rodriguez (Loyola Chicago) worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR).
    • Raven Pena (St. Mary’s University) worked at Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
    • Daisy Ramirez (St. Mary’s University) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
I am truly grateful for EJA supporting my internship opportunity at Catholic Charities. I have always been interested in pursuing a career in immigration law. My internship with Catholic Charities made this interest that much stronger. As frustrating and difficult a time we currently are facing in immigration law, I am thankful to being working alongside an organization that not only seeks to fight to protect the rights of immigrants, but who also strives to make the community aware and who encourages change for the betterment of our community and for our country.
Ruth Garbanzo
South Texas College of Law
EJA Summer Fellow, 2018
  • Summer 2020
    • Karina Acosta (Texas Southern) worked at the Fe y Justicia Worker Center in Houston.
    • Franchesca Alamo (University of Chicago), Ashley Segura (South Texas) and Elizabeth Tonkin (George Washington University) worked at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston – St. Frances Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance.
    • Emma Fichtel (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Malia Hamilton (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Legal Services Center in Austin.
    • Lydia Harris (St. Mary’s), E. Sidonia Mitchell (University of Texas) and Elizabeth Pliego (St. Mary’s) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Samantha McCoy (St. Mary’s) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project in Austin.
  • Summer 2019
    • Karina Acosta (Texas Southern), Stephanie Diaz (South Texas) and Rey Laurencio (Texas Southern) worked at Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance in Houston.
    • Nicole Croslen (Baylor University) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin.
    • Daniel Esquivel (St. Mary’s) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Del Rio.
    • Chloe Kempf (University of Texas) worked at Disability Rights Texas in Austin.
    • Natalia Meade (American University) worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project in Harlingen.
    • Ludovica Pizzichelli (Southern Methodist) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Dallas.
    • Nicolas Sawyer (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Fair Defense Project in Austin.
    • Laura Tucker (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Harjeen Zibari (University of Texas) worked at the ACLU of Texas in Dallas.
  • Fall 2018
    • Maria Ortega (South Texas) worked at the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Cabrini Center for Immigration Legal Assistance.
  • Summer 2018
    • Ashley Alcantara (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin.
    • Matthew Caponi (University of Texas) worked at Refugee Services of Texas in Austin.
    • Alexis Del Rio (St. Mary’s University), Laura Jones (UCLA), Natalie Neill (University of Texas) and Laura Tucker (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Ruth Garbanzo (South Texas) and Assumpta Iheaso (South Texas) worked at the Cabrini Center for Immigration Legal Assistance, a department of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
    • Marissa Jeffery (University of Texas) worked at the Austin Medical-Legal Partnership in Austin.
    • Priscille Kazadi (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project in Austin.
    • Mia Williams-Collings (Texas Southern) worked at Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston.
  • Summer 2017
    • Karina Acosta (Texas Southern) worked in the Crime Victims Assistance Program at the Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance, a department of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
    • Kiah DeBolt (University of Texas), Stephanie Dodge (University of Texas), Stephanie Harlien (St. Mary’s), Marissa Latta (University of Texas), Rachael “Abbe” Miller (University of Texas), Katelin Norris (University of Texas), Hannah Samson (UC Berkeley), Morgan Shelburne (University of Texas) and Eva Sikes (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Ryan Holt (Wake Forest University) worked at the Refugee and Immigration Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) in San Antonio.
    • Lincoln Mitchell (Stanford) worked at South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project in Harlingen.
    • S. Colleen Tennent (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
  • Summer 2016
    • Reema Ali (University of Texas) and Marissa Latta (University of Texas) worked at Disability Rights Texas in Austin.
    • Skyler Collins (University of Texas), Nicholas Hallman (George Washington University), Adia Mercado-Montero (University of Texas) and Olivia Mora (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Austin.
    • Kelsey Craig (Boston College) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin.
    • Smaranda Draghia (Texas Southern) and Analisa Nazareno (St. Mary’s) worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund in San Antonio.
    • Hannah Dyal (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Laredo.
    • Alex Guajardo (Texas Southern) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Alamo.
    • Saadia Hashmi (University of Texas) worked at the North Texas Civil Rights Project in Dallas.
    • Jung Lim Koo (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Eagle Pass.
    • Lou Metsu (American University) worked at the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas in Dallas.
  • Summer 2015
    • Hannah Alexander (University of Texas) worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in San Antonio.
    • Jasmine Banks (Texas Tech) worked at the Lega Aid of NorthWest Texas in Fort Worth.
    • Skyler Collins (University of Texas), Kristin Donovan (American University) and Leah Glowacki (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Austin.
    • Cynthia Milian (South Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Kristen Mishler (University of Minnesota) and Aissa Olivarez (University of Wisconsin) worked at South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) in Harlingen.
    • Tempestt Moore (University of Texas) worked at Disability Rights Texas in Austin.
    • Ana Morales Murrieta (George Washington University) worked at the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas in Dallas.
    • Scott Weaver (University of Texas) worked at American Gateways in Austin.
I have had such a valuable experience this summer working with brilliant and talented attorneys and gaining valuable legal skills while fighting for social justice.
Malia Hamilton
University of Texas
EJA Summer Fellow, 2020
  • Summer 2014
    • Hannah Alexander (University of Texas) and Amir Naim (George Washington University) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project.
    • Theresa Clarke (St. Mary’s), Alexander Goeman (University of Texas), Megan McCormick (Suffolk University), Veronica Portillo (University of Texas) and Molly Thomson (St.Mary’s) worked at the Equal Justice Center.
    • Sara Kamal (George Washington University) worked at Mosaic Family Services.
    • John Masio (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Pamela Moreno (Texas Southern) worked at the Cabrini Center at Catholic Charities.
    • Kevin Prise (Texas Southern) worked at Lone Star Legal Aid.
    • Erin Toolan (Baylor University) worked at Catholic Charities of Fort Worth.
    • Alaina Zermeno (University of Texas) worked Catholic Charities of Dallas Immigration & Legal Services.
  • Summer 2013
    • Alia Al-Khatib (American University), Cassidy Daniels (University of Texas), Mark Daube (University of Texas), Sascha Rips (Rutgers University) and Austin Whitmore (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Austin.
    • Kirstyn Arnwine (Texas Southern), Nora Morales (South Texas) and Esther Noh (Texas Southern) worked at Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston.
    • Jason Brooks (South Texas) worked at the Civil Practice Clinics at the South Texas College of Law Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics in Houston.
    • Megan Evans (South Texas) worked at Disability Rights Texas in Austin.
    • Rita Lenane (Cardozo) worked at American Gateways in Austin.
    • Megan McCormick (Suffolk University) worked at the Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project in El Paso.
    • Charles Miller (Texas Southern) worked at the Catholic Charities Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance in Houston.
    • Yvette Perez (Texas Tech) and Elena Rodman (Brooklyn) worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) in Harlingen.
    • Melaney Whiting (Texas Southern) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project – Houston.
  • Summer 2012
    • Sarah Bryant (University of Texas), William McElhiney (University of Texas) and Rebecca Glisan (Northwestern University) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Megan Evans (South Texas) and Tara Moriarty (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Catherine Feeley (Northwestern University) worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) in Harlingen.
    • Denise Hernandez (Texas Tech) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin.
    • Zahra Lakhani (South Texas) worked at Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston.
    • Catherine Wagner (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin.
  • Fall 2011
    • Alyssa Desgranges (South Texas), Rochelle Garza (University of Houston), Mary Kharhoff (St. Mary’s), Lisa Kinzer (University of Texas) and Katy Padilla (South Texas) worked at Disability Rights Texas.
    • David Wu (South Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
  • Summer 2011
    • Elizabeth Angelone (St. Mary’s) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project in Austin.
    • Hannah Baker (NYU), Ubaldo Fernandez (UC Berkeley Boalt Hall), Jason Garcia (Texas Southern), Jacqueline Hagan (University of Texas), Colleen Lowry (Texas Southern), Rene Mai (University of Texas), Linda Pena (Univesity of Texas), Vanessa Smithwick (Texas Southern) and Leigh Ann Tognetti (University of Texas) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Abby Anna Batko-Taylor (University of Texas) worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) in Harlingen.
    • Jose Galvan (St. Mary’s) and Audrey Lynn (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in San Antonio and Austin.
    • Kate Meals (St. Mary’s) worked at Texas Appleseed in Austin.
    • Ballari Mukherjee (University of Houston) worked at The Gulf Region Advocacy Center in Houston.
    • Ron Sung (University of Houston) worked at the Appleseed Foundation in Austin.

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 Washington College of Law
EJA Summer Fellow, 2016
  • Fall 2010
    • Mary Futcher (University of Texas) and Ashley Patton (St. Mary’s University) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project in Austin.
  • Summer 2010
    • Martha Buttry (University of Texas) worked at American Gateways in Austin.
    • Jordan Cohen (UC Hastings), Patrick Johnson (University of Texas), Jose Medina (NYU), Amy Smith (American University) and Veronica Williams (UC Hastings) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Richard Greene (University of Texas) worked at Advocacy, Inc. in Austin.
    • Tiffany Jackson (Texas Southern) worked at the Legal Aid of Northwest Texas.
    • Ms. Jerry Maddox (University of Texas) worked at Texas Appleseed.
    • Israel Saenz (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Sara Puls (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project.
    • Robert Williams (Texas Southern) worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project.
  • Fall 2009<
    • Jose Medina (NYU) continued his work at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
  • Summer 2009
    • Meghan Abigail (University of Texas) worked at Catholic Charities Legal Services in Dallas.
    • Jessica Cohen (University of Texas) worked at the Texas Advocacy Project.
    • Joseph Hinojosa (University of Texas) and John Moore (University of Pennsylvania) worked at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR).
    • Yuri Jimenez (University of Texas) worked at the Equal Justice Center in Austin.
    • Jamie Larmond (University of Texas), Jose Medina (NYU) and Maulik Shah (Georgetown University) worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
    • Cheremma Lee (Texas Wesleyan) and Jose Martinez (University of Texas) worked at Texas Appleseed.
    • Jennifer Lee (Harvard) and Mary Murphy (University of Texas) worked at Advocacy Inc. in Austin.
    • Ryan Lovell (University of Texas), Jorge Vela (University of Texas) and Keneshia Washington (University of Texas) worked at American Gateways in Austin.
    • Olivia Lynch (Georgetown University) worked at the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso.
    • Francis Sohn (Cornell) worked at Lone Star Legal Aid in Galveston.