2008 Fellows
Carrie Mills
I received a PILS Fellowship for the summer of 2008 to get compensation for work at the public defender’s office in juvenile court here in Baton Rouge. I obtained the internship by contacting the public defender’s office before applying for the fellowship. I was able to work for six weeks over the summer, and participate in the Summer in Lyon Program as well. My fellowship was good for me because I was able to observe how the court functions, assist in writing writ applications, and interview children represented by the public defender. Juvenile defense is of interest to me because the focus of the system is on rehabilitation instead of punishment. It is a system that is developing and changing in our community. I will have the opportunity to continue studying juvenile defense because there is a Juvenile Representation Clinic taught by Stephen Dixon here at the law school.
Dustin Talbot
I used the PILS fellowship to work for the Federal Public Defender for the
Middle and Eastern District of Louisiana. This fellowship allowed me accept
a position with a governmental entity that does not have the financial
resources to pay their law clerks. My experience with the Federal Public
Defender was immensely rewarding. I was able to gain firsthand knowledge and
experience in all matters of federal criminal law. I participated in initial
interviews with clients, which often involved traveling to prisons (both
federal and state). I drafted legal motions and their supporting memoranda,
appellate briefs, and even a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme
Court. I met and worked with United States Attorneys, numerous Federal
District Judges, and other criminal defense attorneys from around the state.
The PILS fellowship was invaluable for me since I very likely would not have declined private firm offers in order to be an unpaid clerk in a governmental office. Although I came to law school to work for the indigent and those that society should protect, it was the PILS fellowship that softened the financial blow enough for me to truly work in the field I wanted to. As a result I have made friendships and created lifetime legal mentors. I have also secured future employment and had the opportunity work in helping those who are unable to help themselves and in the process I used my legal training to contribute back to society.
Nancy Austin
Samuel J. Brown
Kristen Lundin
Leslie Ziober
During my second year of law school, I decided to go to the Equal Justice Works Career Fair in Washington, D.C. I researched many of the organizations from around the country which would be interviewing at the fair, including Montana Legal Services Association, where I ultimately decided to work. MLSA is a unique public interest organization because of the obstacles its legal staff must overcome to provide legal services to the community.
Montana is one of the largest states in the U.S. with a population of under one million people. Often, it is extremely difficult for people who live in rural Montana to travel long distances to access legal services in major cities. In developing projects to overcome this obstacle, MLSA has one of the most progressive community outreach programs in the country. While working at MLSA, in addition to legal research, I wrote two handbooks - one on landlord/tenant law and another on employment law - to be posted on MLSA's website. The handbooks, written for individuals in rural areas to determine their rights and duties under the law, provided easy online access to legal resources.
I will be leaving Louisiana to work in Texas upon graduation, and working in Montana gave me a good perspective about what obstacles legal aid organizations face in large states, such as Texas. If you are seriously considering a career at a legal aid organization, I recommend attending the career fair in D.C. Regardless of whether you are interested in leaving Louisiana after law school, working in another state gives you a unique perspective about what legal issues arise in other areas of the country.
