Public Interest Externships
Each year, McDermott Will & Emery sponsors up to two incoming first-year lawyers to provide them with the opportunity to work at a public interest law firm or agency providing legal services to indigent clients. This opportunity provides participants with invaluable experience and training. Participants work with the public interest law firm or agency for approximately 10 weeks on a flexible schedule designed to accommodate the participant’s bar review and examination schedule. Please take a moment to read about some of the fellowships that our lawyers have participated in over the past few years.
Aviva Morady
Aviva worked with The Pediatric Advocacy Initiative (PAI) at the University of Michigan Law School, a medical-legal partnership that seeks to improve the health and well-being of children by making primary health care settings an entry point to legal services and systemic advocacy support for low-income families. During her externship, Aviva represented learning-disabled children in securing special education services pursuant to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act as well as clients requiring assistance in a custody dispute, a landlord/tenant dispute and a dispute with the Social Security Administration for reducing a client’s Social Security Income benefits as a result of her receipt of an adoption subsidy. In addition, Aviva successfully helped a client seek a divorce from her husband, who had abandoned her and their children several years ago.
Elizabeth Gibbons Lewis
Elizabeth worked at the Loyola Civitas ChildLaw Clinic at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She represented children as a guardian ad litem in child protection proceedings, as a defense lawyer in delinquency proceedings and as a child representative in a high-conflict custody case. Elizabeth appeared in court several times a week and was permitted to put together and present several full trials—from the opening statement to each of the witness examinations to the closing statement. She developed numerous legal skills and, perhaps more importantly, assisted an agency that dedicates its existence to bettering the lives of many needy families who have very few, if any, other resources.
Kathryn C. Goyer
KC worked at the Education Rights Project of the Queens Legal Services Corporation, which serves low-income students and parents as well as parent associations and independent parent groups in the areas of special education, school discipline, discrimination, and school governance and accountability. During her externship, KC represented learning-disabled students in successfully negotiating and securing special education services pursuant to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. She also represented students facing disciplinary school suspensions and expulsions and protected and advocated for students’ right to education.