Purpose
Each year WUPILP provides financial assistance to allow students the opportunity to work in public service, defined as traditionally unpaid, non-profit, or government work, by way of public interest-focused fellowships. Our fellowships typically take place in the Summer semester and range from $3,000 for a part-time fellowship to $6,000 for a full-time fellowship.
The fellowships facilitate WUPILP's mission to educate law students on the inequities in the legal system and encourage future lawyers to dedicate their professional lives to the development of a more just society. The program is critically important because many law students face the economic realities of limited financial means and WUPILP serves as a way to even the playing field and allows more students interested in the public interest to gain the necessary experience to skillfully serve their clients before and after graduation.
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2022 WUPILP Fellows
Cloud Hayes
Cloud is passionate about criminal defense and criminal justice reform and aims to work in public defense post-graduation. Cloud externed at the Public Defenders of Marion County in Fall 2021, and, because of WUPILP, Cloud is continuing to work at Defenders of Marion County this summer. This internship gives Cloud the opportunity to assist attorneys in defending people accused of crimes and people being civilly committed, while also preparing Cloud for a career in criminal defense. Cloud is very grateful to WUPILP for giving them the opportunity to continue working in public defense this summer.
Angélica Leyva
Angélica is a rising 3L, currently working with the Crag Law Center as the Edward J. Sullivan Land Use Planning Fellow. She will be working directly on land-use cases. Angélica is passionate about environmental justice and advocating for communities when it comes to environmental problems impacting their livelihoods.
Ulises Medrano
This summer, Ulises will be clerking at the Marion County Public Defense Office providing legal aid to those who otherwise could not afford it. Ulises wants to ensure that everyone has proper and adequate counsel and access to justice. After graduation, Ulises wants to help the community by providing access to justice in criminal defense and in immigration.
Julia Ricciardi
Julia Ricciardi, a rising 2L, is passionate about social justice and building a world that works for everyone. After a decade of working in nonprofits and schools, Julia hopes to center human rights and access to justice throughout her legal career. She's very grateful to WUPILP for enabling her to work as a federal judicial extern this summer.
Joliet Schrengohst
Joliet has always been passionate about serving others. After college, she taught elementary school in Las Vegas, Nevada and Madrid, Spain. Inspired to work in immigration law, Joliet knew she wanted to attend law school in her home state of Oregon. This summer, as a 2022 WUPILP fellow, Joliet will be working at Immigration Counseling Services in downtown Portland. She is so excited and grateful for this opportunity!
2022 Stevens Fellows
This year, WUPILP partnered with the John Paul Stevens Foundation to sponsor Willamette's 4 inaugural Stevens Fellows. The Foundation’s Fellowship Program supports law students working in public interest roles over the summer in honor of Justice John Paul Stevens and his legacy promoting public interest and social justice values in America’s future generations of lawyers.
Emma Gill
Emma is a rising 2L who came to law school to pursue a career in immigration law, with a particular interest in representing children and/or migrant workers. She spent the past semester working on asylum cases, and this summer she will be working with the Unaccompanied Children program at Immigration Counseling Service. She is grateful to WUPILP and the John Paul Stevens Foundation for facilitating the opportunity to get started working in the field she’s passionate about.
Robin Hopkins
Robin entered law school with the goal of aligning his values with the work he performs on a day-to-day basis. Thanks to help from WUPILP and the John Paul Stevens Foundation, Robin will be spending his summer working for Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) and their Immigration Legal Services. Robin will be working primarily on asylum-related issues for refugees and other asylum seekers.
Faith O’Malley
Faith is a rising 2L and she will be spending her summer working at SOAR Immigration Legal Services. Inspired by her parents’ immigration story and her volunteer work with refugees, she is excited for the opportunity to help other immigrant families navigate our country’s convoluted immigration system.
Brooke Trujillo
Brooke is passionate about public interest law. Prior to coming to Willamette, she served as a legislative intern at the California State Assembly. WUPILP has given her the opportunity to focus on the needs of low-income as well as marginalized Oregonians. This summer, as a 2022 WUPILP Fellow, Brooke will be working with Legal Aid Services of Oregon. LASO is a high-quality legal services program that is committed to advocacy strategies having the broadest possible impact on client community problems. Some examples of the work she will be doing include helping crime victims obtain immigration relief, preventing people from being evicted and working to improve housing opportunities, obtaining restraining orders for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and ensuring equitable access to public benefits.