Jasmine Crain ’26 will begin her legal career on a high note this coming fall as she embarks on a coveted Skadden Fellowship, serving veterans and service members at the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) in Arlington, Virginia.

Jasmine Crain ’26

The most prestigious public interest fellowship in the United States, the Skadden Fellowship enables recent law school graduates to address unmet civil legal needs of people living in poverty in the United States. The highly competitive application process requires prospective fellows to design their own position, secure a host organization, and undergo a round of in-person interviews.

“Jasmine’s selection as a Skadden Fellow is a singular honor and a credit to everything Cornell Law School strives to cultivate in its graduates: exceptional legal skill, a clear moral compass, and a commitment to serving those whom the legal system has too often failed,” says Jens Ohlin, Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law. “We could not be prouder.”

Crain, a student in the Veteran’s Law Practicum, was inspired to pursue a fellowship with NVLSP when practicum director James Hardwick invited the organization to speak at a seminar. Crain was also able to work on a veteran’s medical retirement upgrade while in the practicum—gaining direct experience for her fellowship, which will focus on helping wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans obtain disability retirement, combat-related, and public benefits by challenging benefit denials.

Jasmine Crain ’26 with the 2026 Freeman Award for Civil-Human Rights that she received in February

“I am deeply humbled that I get to leverage my legal education to serve veterans and service members in obtaining medical retirement and combat-related benefits,” says Crain. “I’d like to give a special thanks to Jimmy Hardwick for being an incredible mentor through this journey and for all the work he does for the Veterans Law Practicum. Being part of this practicum has been one of my most impactful law school experiences, because it has allowed me to work directly with veterans, hear their stories, and help secure their long-owed benefits.”

She adds, “Not only is it incredibly rewarding and necessary work, but it hits especially close to home as a military kid.”

Says Hardwick, “Jasmine represents the very best of what the Veterans Law Practicum aims to cultivate—a lawyer of exceptional skill who is genuinely devoted to the clients she serves. Her Skadden Fellowship at NVLSP is well-earned recognition, and the service members she will represent are fortunate to have her in their corner.”

“Jasmine’s fellowship is exactly what our clinics aim for—to prepare graduates to step straight into the public interest work their clients need,” says Beth Lyon, associate dean for experiential education and Clinical Program director. “We’re incredibly proud of her, and of the Veterans Law Practicum for helping shape the lawyer she’s become.”