Public Interst Law Group Impact
"PILG is incredibly important to the public interest law community and UCONN students because it helps create opportunities for students to obtain hands-on learning at organizations that are in need of help. My fellowship at CHRO prepared me to work directly with clients and I found I really enjoyed that direct interaction. Although I shifted my focus to immigration law, I still enjoy working directly with clients on their cases."
- Lisa Herrera, Supervising Attorney at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
"I have fond memories of the PILG auction with the whole UCONN community coming together for a great cause. When I received the fellowship I felt supported monetarily to accept an unpaid position in which I felt that I could make a difference in the community. At the US Attorney's Office that summer I was able to help on some civil rights cases that sparked my interest in public service. Clearly that interest jump started my career!"
- Assistant Attorney General Samantha Wong, State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General
"For my 2L summer, I accepted an offer to work, unpaid, in DC at a non-profit called Legal Counsel for the Elderly. There is no way that I would've been able to afford housing and live in DC for 10 weeks if it weren't for the generous PILG stipend that I received. That summer, I helped to provide free estate planning services to low-income elderly individuals in their homes. That experience paved the way to beginning my career at a non-profit and then taking a job as an associate attorney at a small estate planning firm. Now that I'm in career services, I often find myself encouraging students to take advantage of opportunities out-of-state in order to maximize their law school experience, just like I was able to do."
- Nicole Netkin-Collins, Director for Law Firms, Career Development Office at the University of Colorado Law School
"The Public Interest Law Group (PILG) Fellowship Program provided me the opportunity to intern with the Center for Children's Advocacy, a non-profit organization that specializes in legal advocacy for low-income children. I came to law school with the specific goal of becoming a legal aid attorney and the PILG internship allowed me to gain meaningful experience working in a legal aid environment on children's advocacy issues including adolescent health rights, emancipation, special education, and juvenile delinquency. For many students interested in pursuing a career in public interest, taking an unpaid summer internship is simply not a financially viable option. The PILG Fellowship makes it possible for students to contribute to the community, obtain invaluable work experience, and pursue work they are passionate about. Following graduation, I continued my public interest work as a Singer Connecticut Public Service Fellow with Greater Hartford Legal Aid, where I represented low-income clients in family and immigration matters. My PILG Fellowship experience was an important step in my path to becoming a legal aid attorney and I am so grateful for that opportunity. The PILG Fellowship Program is a vital resource for students planning to pursue careers in public interest, and I strongly encourage everyone to support the program in any way they can."
- Christy Gill: UConn Law School Class of 2018