Public Service

Cornell Law School Summer Awards

Cornell Law School Summer Awards
For full details read the 2025 Summer Award FAQs
Click here to access the online application – due April 4.

The Cornell Law School Summer Award Program provides funding to all 1L and 2L Cornell Law Students who obtain unpaid summer positions with public interest organizations or government agencies. Each year approximately 100 are awarded. A full-time Summer Award consists of two components: 1) a PIF (Public Interest Fellowship) award, and 2) a Federal Work-Study award.

PIF Awards

PIF Awards are funded by the Law School and are guaranteed for all 1Ls and 2Ls who secure eligible summer placements and meet PIF requirements. PIF applications are administered by the Career Development Office. Members of the class of 2027 will receive an award of $5,000. Members of the class of 2026 will receive an award of $7,000.

Federal Work-Study Awards

Federal Work-Study Awards are funded by the Federal Government. Work-Study awards are part of your financial aid package and are administered by the University through the Law School’s Financial Aid Office. Work-Study application will be emailed to 1Ls and 2Ls early in the spring semester.

If you meet PIF award requirements but are not eligible for a Federal Work-Study award, you will receive a full award.

Public International PIFS

Students taking summer legal internships with overseas government agencies or non-profits are unable to utilize Work-Study funds. Five $2,400 Public International PIF awards are available each year. These awards are coupled with the PIF awards (described above), enabling our overseas interns access to full $5,000 summer stipends.

To Advance Justice and Public Policy Against Persistent Unemployment

An endowment established by Dr. Harold Oaklander ILR ’52 provides for up to eight summer fellowships annually for law students to work with non-profit host organizations dedicated to assisting the unemployed and under-employed. Application information for summer 2021 fellowships will be available in January.

List of past fellows and their non-profit employer hosts
Abstracts of fellows’ research projects (summers 2014 and 2015)
Information for potential non-profit employer hosts

Fellowship Description

• Represent low-income clients under the supervision of experienced practitioner

• Participate in special U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) events

• Develop substantive legal writing samples

Additionally, the Fellowship includes the opportunity to interact with Cornell faculty and other leading experts at these events:

• A pre-Fellowship on-campus orientation session in April.

• A post-Fellowship de-briefing dinner meeting in September where Fellows will present Field Reports written during the course of the Fellowship. Selected Reports will be archived in the Law School Library.

Stipend:

Students eligible for work-study funding will receive a maximum $5,000 grant, paid at an hourly rate of $15.63 throughout the summer through Cornell’s payroll system. Students not eligible for work-study funding will receive a lump sum payment of $1,600. Additionally, a $300 prize will be awarded as appropriate to one Fellow who shows outstanding dedication to serving the unemployed. The prize winner will be recognized at the Law School’s annual Public Interest Awards Ceremony at the New York City Bar Association in February.

Fellowship Term:

Eight weeks during the general time period of mid-May to mid-August. Exact dates to be determined by agreement between selected students and host organizations.

Fellowship Details:

• The bulk of the Fellows’ summers will be spent assisting host attorneys with legal work relating to unemployment issues – research, writing, client counseling, administrative hearings, and the like.

• Fellows will begin their Fellowship with a one-day orientation at a DOL One-Stop Job Center. A representative from the host organization will be encouraged to attend as well.
• Fellows will be available throughout the summer, where applicable, to participate in special DOL events*. These events will allow Fellows to be face-to-face with the unemployment system’s primary actors.

PSJD maintains a comprehensive list of law student summer funding sources for work in any geographic region and in specific geographic areas.  These funding programs may provide a supplement to work-study funding or an alternative to Cornell’s summer PIF Program.  In addition, some of these specialized sources of funding can provide special mentoring opportunities and are an honor that you can list on your resume.

The 2024-2025 application window for the Rhodes and Rubenstein Fellowships is now open and will close on January 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm. More information can be found here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Associate Dean Akua Akyea at aoa28@cornell.edu. 

Purpose: The Frank H. T. Rhodes Public Interest Law Fellowship was established in 2010 to provide support to new Cornell Law School graduates who show exceptional commitment to the field of public interest law. The Fellowship is designed to provide opportunities to gain substantive experience in work that will improve the quality and delivery of legal services to the poor, the elderly, the homeless, and those deprived of their civil rights. This is a two-year fellowship.

Projects may be civil or criminal in focus. Projects in the area of indigent criminal defense should focus on innovative services, and support or delivery mechanisms that are not adequately funded by the government or that are designed to impact broad criminal justice issues.  For both civil and criminal projects, advocacy may entail a wide range of approaches, including, but not limited to, community legal education and training, organizing, direct services, litigation, transactional work and administrative efforts. Preference will be given to projects that are designed to impact a large number of people, create programs that can be replicated in other communities and create lasting institutions or programs.

Seven Rhodes Fellowships have been awarded since the program’s inception:

2020 Fellow: Nick Kline ’20, Open Door Legal
2019 Fellow: Adena Wayne ’17, New York Legal Assistance Group
2018 Fellow: Rosa Cortez ’18, EdLaw Project
2017 Fellow:  Mario Roque ’17, Empire Justice Center
2016 Fellow:  Amanda Reynoso-Palley ’16, Day One
2015 Fellow: Colleen Cowgill ’15, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
2014 Fellow: Cristina Laramee ’14, Bronx Defenders
2013 Fellow: Benjamin Tettlebaum ’12, Conservation Law Foundation
2012 Fellow: Melissa Gallo ’12, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights

Eligibility: Applicants must be third-year Cornell Law Students, or recent Cornell Law School graduates completing judicial clerkships. Applicants must secure a sponsoring private non-profit organization and, together with the organization, submit a proposal for a two-year project with specific focus and goals. The sponsoring organization can be based in the United States or abroad. The selected fellow must agree to be available and willing to return to Cornell Law School to speak to students about his or her work. He or she must also be willing to allow Cornell to publicize the fellowship project. The Fellow will receive a minimum $61,000 annual salary, plus benefits. Once the fellowship has commenced, Fellows may apply for loan repayment assistance through Cornell Law School’s Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program, a separately-funded program.

Selection Process: Applicants will be interviewed and selected by a Faculty Fellowship Committee. Criteria the Fellowship Committee will use to evaluate applicants and potential sponsoring organizations will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Applicants: The candidate’s demonstrated or stated commitment to public-interest law generally, and specifically to the community in which the candidate is planning to work. The candidate’s professional, volunteer and/or subject matter expertise indicating that the candidate possesses the relevant skills and initiative to make the proposed project a success.
• Sponsoring Organization: The non-profit organization’s commitment and ability to provide training, support and supervision throughout the Fellowship project.  An articulation of how the project fits into organizational priorities.

The unified application for the Rhodes and Rubenstein Fellowships can be found here.

Applicants should direct questions to Akua Akyea, Associate Dean for Career Development, aoa28@cornell.edu.

2022-2023 International Court of Justice Clerkship

Cornell Law School is partnering with the organization Gideon’s Promise to create a post-graduate fellowship opportunity.  The successful class of 2018 candidate will be placed in one of the public defender offices listed below. The fellowship is guaranteed to transition into a permanent job within one year.  Salary and benefits will be paid by Cornell Law School until that transition is made, at which time salary and benefits will be paid by the public defender’s office.   The salary during the fellowship phase is the equivalent of $40,000/year.  The public defender’s office will pay their standard entry-level salary, which varies slightly among offices, but tends to range from $40,000 – $45,000.  Of course, this position (in both the fellowship and permanent phases) qualifies for PILIPP II, Cornell Law School’s generous loan forgiveness program.

Successful candidates demonstrate a strong commitment to public defense; are interested in a career in the office beyond the term of the fellowship/grant; desire to work in a system where the challenges are greatest; and aspire to be part of a larger reform movement.  See below for additional details.  Please contact me for assistance if you plan to apply.

Gideon’s Promise

Named after Gideon v Wainwright, the landmark case that guaranteed the right to counsel, Gideon’s Promise is building a movement of public defenders to drive indigent defense reform.  Gideon’s Promise works with public defender offices, primarily in the Deep South, to raise the standard of representation for poor people in the nation’s most broken systems. Each of the “partner-offices” is led by a chief defender who shares this reform vision and is committed to supporting the next generation of public defenders to usher in change.  Gideon’s Promise was featured in the HBO documentary, “Gideon’s Army,” which follows three young public defenders, trained by Gideon’s Promise, in their quest for equal justice in indigent defense. The organization has now trained more than 300 public defenders, who each see an average caseload of 300 per year.

The Law School Partnership Project (LSPP)

LSPP is a three-year program that provides permanent employment, training/continuing legal education, and support to recent graduates committed to public defense. Those who are selected are guaranteed employment with a Gideon’s Promise partner office within a year and will be financially supported by their respective law schools until their first day of work through a grant, fellowship, and/or stipend.  The LSPP gives law graduates unique opportunity otherwise not available to them: to join a public defender office working to improve criminal justice in areas where the need is greatest, and to become part of a broader movement to transform indigent defense across the South.

Participating Public Defender Offices (Partner Offices)

You can find profiles of participating offices at https://www.gideonspromise.org/programs/training/law-school-partnership-project/.

The application can be found at: https://gideonspromise.formstack.com/forms/lspp_2020.

• September 18, 2020:  Application deadline.  To apply, complete theLSPP application and indicate which offices you would like to be considered for placement.   You will be prompted to submit a cover letter, resume, transcript, 2 letters of recommendation, and a writing sample.  Make sure to review the FAQs at https://www.gideonspromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Law-School-Partnership-Project-FAQ-002.pdf.   Please contact the Office of Public Service to review your application materials before submission.
• December 15, 2020 (tentative): Offers extended to candidates.
• January 8, 2021:  Candidates must accept or reject offers by this date

A Post-Graduate Fellowships is an excellent opportunity for you to launch your career. These are entry-level (or post-judicial clerkship) jobs with public interest organizations or, occasionally, government agencies or academia. They are typically one or two years in duration.

PSJD contains listings for over 300 fellowship opportunities. As their web site explains, there are two types of post-graduate fellowships: organization-based fellowships and project-based fellowships.

An organization-based fellowship is funded by the organization for which you are working. The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, hosts several fellows working on various issues, from women’s rights to First Amendment and racial justice issues. To the extent that the organization employing you is also funding the fellowship, this is similar to a “normal” job where the employer is paying the employee’s salary.

A project-based fellowship is funded by a third-party organization, allowing you to work with a host organization, usually on a specifically designed project. For example, you may have an idea to open a legal clinic for low-income immigrants who are victims of consumer scams. A legal services organization may desire to host you. In the public interest legal arena, Equal Justice Works and the Skadden Fellowship Foundation are the largest funders.

If you are considering developing a project-based fellowship, note that public interest organizations are eager to hear from you. Organizations that would like to host fellows post on PSJD as “Fellowship Sponsors.”

Putting together a successful public interest fellowship application requires creative, strategic thinking. Contact Akua Akyea, Assistant Dean for Public Service, for assistance.

Cornell Law School has a long-standing commitment to supporting students and graduates who wish to pursue careers in the public interest. A key component of this commitment is our Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). Recognizing the pressures created by high educational debt, through LRAP the Law School provides generous loan repayment assistance to graduates working in the public interest.

New Federal legislation presents the opportunity to expand loan repayment assistance. As of May 2024, PILIPP II has been replaced by a more comprehensive program, LRAP, which operates in concert with the federal Income-Based Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs. Additionally, LRAP participants who work for 10 years in any of the broad range of jobs deemed eligible for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness can have all of their federally guaranteed loan repayments reimbursed by Cornell Law School and the remaining principal balance forgiven by the federal government.

The LRAP is administered by our Financial Aid Office.

Introduction

Cornell Law School has a long-standing commitment to supporting students and graduates who wish to pursue careers in the public interest. A key component of this commitment is our Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). Recognizing the pressures created by high educational debt, through LRAP the Law School provides generous loan repayment assistance to J.D. graduates working in the public interest.

LRAP participants may receive up to 10 years of loan repayment assistance, as long as they meet program eligibility requirements. Additionally, at the end of the 10 year period (totaling 120 payments), as long as qualifying payments have been made to the student’s loan servicer, the remaining loan balance is forgiven by the federal government.

Eligible Employment

Participants must be working domestically or internationally in jobs with federal, state, or local government entities, nonprofit organizations or labor unions. The job must either require a J.D. degree, or be law related, meaning that it substantially utilizes the legal training and skills learned in law school. A graduate will qualify on a deferred basis if she engages in a one-year post-graduate judicial clerkship, and subsequently engages in qualifying employment. Note the definition of eligible employment under LRAP is more inclusive than the definition of eligible employment for purposes of federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness. See “FAQ” below for details.

Eligible Loans

Income Eligibility

Calculating Annual Awards

Participants will receive an award equal to the amount of their total eligible yearly IBR, SAVE, or PAYE payments plus the annual payment due on bar study loans up to $10,000. Participants are not required to place their loans in IBR, SAVE, or PAYE. However, awards will be calculated as if the loans are in IBR, SAVE, or PAYE. The Law School has the discretion to cap annual awards at $15,000. Awards are based upon monthly loan payments at the time of the application submission. Changes to monthly loan payments, as determined by the loan servicer, will not result in an adjustment to a LRAP award.

Participation Term

Graduates may participate in the LRAP program for a maximum of 10 years. The 10 years need not be consecutive.

Application Timing

Participants must apply on an annual basis, as award amounts are recalculated each year. Application materials are due December 1.

Application Materials

• LRAP Application
• Employer Certification

Nature of the Award

The LRAP award will be made in the form of a loan to the participant that is disbursed in two equal installments in January and June and forgiven at the end of the year. Assistance under this plan may be non-taxable under 26 U.S.C. 108 (F) for participants who work for government entities or 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organizations.

How do I apply for LRAP assistance?

Complete the LRAP application and return it to the Admissions and Financial Aid Office of the law school along with the required supporting documents. The application and supporting documents should be returned via email to law.financialaid@cornell.edu or faxed to 607-255-4656.

What is the application deadline?

Applications are due by December 1 to receive LRAP benefits for the following calendar year. Even if you begin your public service early in the year, the application deadline remains the same

How do you determine if my job qualifies as eligible employment? How do you determine if my job is law-related?

The Financial Aid Office and the Public Service Committee will review LRAP applications and determine eligibility. They will review your job description to confirm that the work is law related, and that you are working at an eligible organization.

Do I need to be employed full time?

No. LRAP covers half-time employment on a pro-rata basis. Be advised that any time spent in less than full-time employment does not count for purposes of federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

I am on a one-year fellowship. Am I eligible?

Yes, so long as the substance of the fellowship otherwise falls within the definition of eligible employment. Graduates receiving funding through the Law School’s Graduate Fellowship Grant program are eligible for LRAP assistance. Any graduate awarded a Frank H.T. Rhodes Public Interest Fellowship through the Law School is eligible for LRAP assistance.

Do judicial clerkships qualify?

If you engage in a one-year post-graduate judicial clerkship, and subsequently engage in qualifying public interest employment, the Law School will retroactively award LRAP benefits to you for your clerkship year.

Do jobs with private law firms qualify?

No, jobs with private law firms are not considered qualifying employment.

Is there an income cap?

Yes. Participants in the program with income of $120,000 or less can receive benefits covering 100% of their calculated loan payments. The program also allows benefits for salaries up to $150,000. For salaries above $120,000 up to $150,000, participants will incur a 10% student contribution deducted from their benefit. Only participant’s income as reported by their employer is counted as income for purposes of determining the LRAP award.

How do you calculate my income?

The income used for eligibility is your salary as reported by your employer, not the Adjusted Gross Income reported on your federal tax return.

If I am married, is my spouse’s income considered?

Spousal income is not considered for the income cap as it relates to LRAP eligibility. However, spousal income is typically considered by your federal loan servicer when calculating your IBR, SAVE, or PAYE payments.

Can I receive LRAP assistance for all of my federal student loans?

Yes. All subsidized, unsubsidized, Grad Plus, and Perkins loans are eligible for LRAP assistance.

Must I enroll in IBR, PAYE or SAVE in order to receive LRAP assistance?

No, but we strongly recommend that you do so. IBR, PAYE, or SAVE can help make your monthly loan payments more affordable by basing them on your income and family size. Additionally, you may have additional loan sums due if you do not apply for IBR, PAYE, or SAVE. Which plan pertains to you depends upon the year you took out your first federal loan. Whether or not you enroll in IBR, PAYE, or SAVE, your LRAP grant will be calculated based on the payments you would owe in IBR, PAYE, or SAVE.

Where can I find out more about my federal student loans, IBR, PAYE and SAVE?

Your loan servicer can determine your monthly IBR, PAYE or SAVE loan payment amount. If you are unsure who your loan servicer is, you can find this information in “My Federal Student Aid” at www.studentAid.gov/log-in, or you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-900-4-FED-AID. To enroll in IBR or PAYE, you must submit an Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request at www.StudentLoans.gov. Consult the Law School’s Admissions and Financial Aid Coordinator for assistance.

Are any other loans covered?

Private bar study loans up to $10,000 are covered.

How much of my yearly loan payment will be covered by the Law School?

Each year that you work full time in a qualifying position, and earn an income up to the salary cap, LRAP will cover the full amount of your IBR payment. Additionally, your annual payment due on a bar study loan of up to $10,000 will be included in your LRAP award.

How long can I be enrolled in LRAP?

The Law School will assist you for up to a total of 10 years. The 10 years do not need to be consecutive. You do not need to enter the LRAP program immediately following graduation, and you may exit and re-enter the program.

How will I know if I am receiving a LRAP award?

You will receive an email from the Financial Aid Office by December 28 containing your award letter and a promissory note. Your signed and notarized promissory note must be returned to the financial aid office within 30 days of your award notification in order to receive your LRAP funds for the year. Please note that changes to your monthly loan payments, as determined by the loan servicer, after submission of your LRAP application will not result in an adjustment to your LRAP award.

When will I receive my award?

Your award will be made in the form of a loan disbursed in two equal installments in January and June. The loan is then forgiven at the end of the calendar year.

Who should I contact if I have questions about my LRAP application or award?

Cornell Law School’s Admissions and Financial Aid Office, at 607-255-5141 or law.financialaid@cornell.edu.

What is Public Service Loan Forgiveness?

Through the U.S. Department of Education, borrowers who make payments based on income, over at least 10 years, while working in qualifying public service, are eligible for forgiveness for any remaining balance-Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). To be eligible for PSLF, you must make 120 loan payments on loans that are eligible for IBR or PAYE. Additionally, you must be working in eligible employment. The definition of the “eligible employment” for PSLF is more restrictive than that for receiving a LRAP grant. The PSLF definition excludes “labor unions, partisan political organizations, non-profit organizations engaged in religious instruction, worship services or any form of proselytizing.” Additionally work overseas must be for a U.S. nonprofit organization or a U.S. government employer. For more information about Income-Driven Repayment Plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, see https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/understand/plans/income-driven.

What if I need to take time off from public interest work?

LRAP allows you to enter and exit the program at any time during your ten years of eligibility.

What if I am taking a parental leave?

A parental leave includes the birth of a child and/or to care for the newborn child within one year of birth, the placement with the participant of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement. LRAP provides two options for parental leave, a) If you take 12 weeks of parental leave in a calendar year, you may receive LRAP benefits for that year; or, b) If you take more than 12 weeks of parental leave in a calendar year, you are ineligible for LRAP benefits that year. However, you will be granted an additional year of LRAP eligibility.

What if I elect to discontinue my career in public service?

If you are enrolled in IBR and leave public service (and therefore discontinue IBR) before the completion of the 10 years, your debt will not be forgiven. You will also likely have higher loan payments and interest fees. Interest accrual can be substantial depending on how long you carry the debt.

If I change jobs, what do I do?

Any changes to your employment or loan situation must be reported to the Financial Aid Office, in writing, within 15 days. Send a written notice to law.financialaid@cornell.edu.

If I am receiving LRAP benefits and the government ends IBR, what will happen to my LRAP Award?

Both PSFL and IBR are subject to periodic federal review. Should there be changes in federal policy, the Law School’s LRAP will be adjusted accordingly.

The Basics:

What is the Call-Backs for Public Service Program?

Through the Call-Backs for Public Service Program, students traveling to call-back interviews with firms help raise money to reimburse the travel expenses of upper-class law students who are interviewing with public interest and government employers.

Why create a Call-Backs for Public Service Fund?

Students interviewing with government agencies and public interest organizations can incur significant job search expenses. These expenses can be particularly daunting as every interview involves traveling outside of Ithaca, and expenses are seldom, if ever, reimbursed by public sector employers! Upper-class students who incur public sector job search expenses can request reimbursement from this Fund.

How does it work?

When a student goes to a call-back interview with a law firm, typically that law firm reimburses the student for transportation and hotel expenses. If the student opts to stay with a friend or relative rather than at a hotel, the law firm has the option of contributing $200 to the Cornell Law School Call-Backs for Public Service Fund. If the student opts to forgo reimbursement for airport taxis, the firm may contribute an additional $50.

Why should I participate in the Call-Backs for Public Service Program?

The money raised makes it possible for upper-class students to pursue summer and post-graduate employment with public interest organizations and government agencies that provide legal services to underrepresented individuals and causes.

The Program gives law firms an opportunity to demonstrate support for Cornell Law Students and public interest law.

Sign me up! How do I do this?

Do I have to ask about the Call-Backs for Public Service Program when I schedule my interview?

No. Just decline hotel accommodations. Then, after you return from the call-back, fill out the two-part Call-Backs for Public Service Program form. Return one part to the firm with your expense log and return the other part to the Office of Public Service.

Where do I get Call-Backs for Public Service Program forms?

Download the form here, and please remember to print double-sided.

But do I have to mention the Call-Backs for Public Service Program at the Call-Back?

Not if you don’t want to. Just go to your call-back well rested and relaxed after spending the night with friends and family and submit the Call-Backs for Public Service Program form to the firm when you submit all your other travel receipts.

Does using the Call-Backs for Public Service Program have a negative effect on my interview or prospects?

Not at all! The Call-Backs for Public Service Program has no effect on your interview or chance at landing a job. Law firms volunteer to participate. It gives them a chance to increase their commitment to public service and their visibility with Cornell Law students.

When must I decide to participate in the Call-Backs for Public Service Program for a particular Call-Back?

At any point before you get that room key! Simply inform the firm that you won’t need accommodations during your visit. You can even cancel arrangements you’ve already made (as long as you follow the hotel’s cancellation policy). Unlike nonrefundable airfares, hotel rooms are usually fully refundable until the day of your arrival. If your best friend moves or Great Aunt Mildred offers you space in the spare room, just call the travel agent back and cancel that hotel. Submit the Call-Backs for Public Service Program form with your receipts, and we’ll follow up.

What if I’m visiting more than one firm during one Call-Back trip?

Submit Call-Backs for Public Service form to each firm you interview with during that trip. The firms will take care of the rest.

If I participate in the Call-Backs for Public Service Program, does that mean I never get to stay in a hotel?

NO!!! You can decide on a firm-by-firm basis. We’d like everyone to donate one night’s stay.

The Cyrus Mehri Public Interest Lecture Series features an annual major address to the law school community by a leading public interest law practitioner. This Lecture Series is made possible by a generous contribution from Cyrus Mehri ’88, a dedicated supporter of public interest-minded Cornell Law students.

Featured Speakers:

Spring 2016: Patricia Warth ’80
Chief Hurrell-Haring Implementation Attorney, New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services “Our Clients’ Lives Matter:  The Imperative of Quality Public Defense to Achieve Criminal Justice Reform”

Spring 2015: Eve Hill ’80
Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division “Federal Disability Rights Enforcement: Employment, Education, and Life In the 21st Century”

Spring 2014: Michael S. Levine ’80
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Local Initiatives Support Corporation “Community Development Law – How to Make a Difference”

Spring 2013: Joseph E. Krakora ’80
Public Defender for the State of New Jersey  “Myths and Misconceptions: Public Defenders as ‘Real Lawyers’ for ‘Real Criminals'”

Spring 2012: Matthew Glasser ’80
Lead Urban Specialist, The World Bank “International Development in the 21st Century”

Spring 2011: Gary Guzy ’80
Deputy Director and General Counsel, White House Council on Environmental Quality “Gas Drilling, Sustainability & Energy Policy: Searching for Common Ground”, presented as the keynote address for the 2011 Energy Conference sponsored by the CLS Environmental Law Society and the Water Law and Land Use Clinics.

Spring 2010: Neil Getnick ’80
Managing Partner, Getnick & Getnick  “Meeting the Public Interest Challenge Head-On in the Marketplace”

Spring 2008: Arthur Eisenberg ’80
Legal Director, New York Civil Liberties Union “George Bush, the Rule of Law, & the Exercise of Unilateral Executive Authority”

Fall 2006: Kica Matos ’80
Executive Director, JUNTA for Progressive Action “Immigration Policy and the Death Penalty: The Defining Civil Rights Issues of Our Time”

Fall 2005: Shannon Minter ’93
Legal Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights “Creating Change: The Future of LGBT Rights”

Spring 2005: Gregory Watchman ’80
Executive Director, Government Accountability Project “Fighting for Civil Rights and Worker Protections: Confessions of a Washington Insider”

Spring 2004: Sam Zia-Zarifi ’80
Deputy Director, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch “In the Trenches: Human Rights During the War on Terror”

Spring 2002: Joseph Iarocci ’80
General Counsel, CARE  “What Am I Doing Here: From Wall Street to Abse Teferi”

Spring 2001: Douglas Lasdon ’80
Executive Director & Founder, The Urban Justice Center “Urban Justice: Advocating for the Poor”

Spring 2000: Tonya Gonnella Frichner
President and Founder, American Indian Law Alliance “Make the Road by Walking: Reflection on Using the Law in Service to the Community”

Spring 1999: Cyrus Mehri ’80
Mehri & Skalet, PLLC “Fighting Corporate Abuse”

Frank H.T. Rhodes Public Interest Law Career Symposium

“Tipping the Scales Toward Justice: A Public Service Pursuit”

Friday, January 25, 2019
RSVP for the program at Public Service Symposium

Panels: Examining the Issues

Civil Justice Advocates – Fighting for Equity
3:00 – 4:15 p.m. – Room 184
Three civil attorneys tackle basic necessities for indigent clients. How do crises in housing, education, and employment entrench civilians in the cycle of poverty?

Akua Akyea (Moderator)
Assistant Dean for Public Service, Cornell Law School – Ithaca, NY

Rosa Cortez ’18
2018-20 Rhodes Fellow: EdLaw Project – Fall River, MA

Martha Roberts ’82
Supervising Attorney, Legal Assistance of Western New York – Geneva, NY

Mario Roque ’17
2017-19 Rhodes Fellow: Empire Justice Center – Rochester, NY
Current Position: Staff Attorney, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid – Minneapolis, MN

Voices for the Defense – Seeking Justice in Trying Times
4:30 – 5:45 p.m. – Room 184
Defending immigrants, victims and the wrongfully accused in today’s world is an uphill battle. Listen to these lawyers delve into the barriers for clients in today’s society and their efforts to combat injustice.

Akua Akyea (Moderator)
Assistant Dean for Public Service, Cornell Law School – Ithaca, NY

Colleen Cowgill ’15
2015-17 Rhodes Fellow: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – Washington, DC
Current Position: Removal Staff Attorney, Catholic Charities of Orange County – Santa Ana, CA

Cristina Laramee ’14
2014-16 Rhodes Fellow, Bronx Defenders – New York, NY
Current Position: Associate, Bozorgi Law – Miami, FL

Amanda Reynoso-Palley ’16
2016-18 Rhodes Fellow: Day One, New York, NY
Current Position: Staff Attorney, Day One – New York, NY

Reception, Dinner, and Keynote: The Statler Hotel at Cornell
Reception: 6:15 – 7:00 p.m.
Dinner: 7:00 p.m.

Keynote speaker: Zellnor Myrie ’16
New York State Senator – 20th Senate District
“Campaigning for Justice: Pro Bono, Public Service, and Politics”
When Merriam Webster declared “Justice” the 2018 word of the year, it made sense to ask a committed public servant for justice to be the keynote speaker. Zellnor Myrie has had successful outcomes in his public service and democratic endeavors. With over 600 hours of pro bono service and a focus on immigrant rights, criminal justice reform, and tenants’ rights, Zellnor’s pursuit of justice is all-encompassing.

Sponsors:
Cornell Law School’s Office of Public Service
Frank H.T. Rhodes Public Interest Law Fellowship Endowment
Cyrus Mehri ’88 Public Interest Lecture Series

Previous Awardees:

2024

Vivian Hernandez, JD ’12, Trial Counsel, Military Commissions Defense Organization

Steven Koch, JD ’16, Senior Counsel, Conference Ethics Counsel, and Parliamentarian, New York State Senate

John Mills, JD ’08, Founder & Principal Attorney, Phillips Black, Inc.

Honorable Carol Ode, JD ’82, State Representative, Vermont State House

Rose Petoskey, JD ’15, Senior Advisor & Director of Tribal Affairs, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

Karen Phillips, JD ’05, Assistant Managing Attorney, Northwest Justice Project

Rising Star Awards

Sarah Estabrook, AB ’14, JD ’17 – Supervisory Asylum Officer, U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services Newark Asylum Office

Nathalie Greenfield, JD ’21 – Associate Attorney and Mitigation Specialist, Phillips Black, Inc.

Cristina Quiñones-Betancourt, JD ’14 – Director of Fair Housing, Communities Resist

Pro Bono Awards

Andowah Newton, JD ’06 – Former Vice President, Legal Affairs, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton

Samantha Singh, JD ’19 – Associate, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

2023

Meredith Bloch, JD ’10, Senior Staff Attorney, TakeRoot Justice; New York, NY

Hannah Freedman, JD ’16, Staff Attorney & Director of Juvenile Litigation, Justice 360; Columbia, SC

William Grigg, JD ’15, Staff Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc.; Brownsville, TX

Amanda Minikus, JD ’15, Judge Advocate, US Marine Corps; Fayetteville, NC

Angela Winfield, JD ’08, Chief Diversity Officer, Law School Admission Council; Newtown, PA

Rising Star Awards:

Victoria Inojosa, JD ’19, Assistant Federal Defender, Dallas Capital Habeas Unit, Dallas, TX

Mary Kathryn Smith, JD ’19, Post Conviction Litigation Fellow Innocence Project, New York, NY

2022

David Cordero-Heredia, LLM ’14, JSD ’18, Director, Human Rights Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador; Quito, Ecuador

Katherine Higgins, JD ’09, Assistant Public Defender, Monroe County Public Defender’s Office; Rochester, NY

Nancy Morisseau, JD ’04, Agency Attorney, New York City Department of Education; New York, NY

Ginger Quintero-McCall, JD ’09, Legal Director, Demand Progress; Washington, DC

Tricia Russell, JD ’00, Attorney, Arkansas Public Defender Commission; Little Rock, AR

Barry Strom, JD ’74, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Cornell Law School; Ithaca, NY

Betsy Wohl, JD ’90, Supervising Attorney, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.; Ithaca, NY

Rising Star Award:

Adena Wayne, JD ’17 Staff Attorney – LGBTQ Law Project New York Legal Assistance Group, New York, NY

2021

James Bogin, JD ’84, Senior Supervising Attorney, Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, Albany, NY

Katherine Ensler, JD ’13, Assistant Federal Defender, Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Mildred Whalen, JD ’92, Attorney, Federal Defenders of New York, New York, NY

Joseph Wheeler, JD ’03, Supervisory Attorney, Office of Civil Rights, US Department of Education, San Francisco, CA

Rising Star Awards

Ivory Goudy, JD ’18, Defense Attorney, Office of the Public Defender at Fulton County, Atlanta, GA

Raphael Stern, JD ’17, Staff Attorney, Lawyers Alliance for New York, New York, NY

2020
Stephanie Delgado, JD ’14,  (Rising Star), Senior Direct Representation Attorney, Kids In Need of Defense; Los Angeles, CA

Pradine Saint-Fort, JD ’10, Pro Bono Fellow, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP; New York, NY

Geoffrey Schmits, JD ’94, Senior Director of Finance & Planning, Volunteer Now!; Tarrytown, NY

Linda Slamon, JD ’93, Public Defender, New Hampshire Public Defender; Portsmouth, NH

Carolyn Wald, JD ’16, (Rising Star), Staff Attorney – LGBTQ & HIV Project, American Civil Liberties Union; Chicago, IL

Steve Yeager, JD ’04, Assemblyman, District 9 and Partner, Atkinson, Watkins & Hoffmann; Las Vegas, NV

2019
Diane L. Campbell, JD ’98 Supervising Attorney, Legal Assistance of Western New York; Ithaca, NY

Earl A. Kirkland III, JD ’13 (Rising Star), John Payton Appellate and Supreme Court Advocacy Fellow, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; New York, NY

Steven A. Koh, JD ’08, Associate in Law, Columbia Law School; New York, NY

Jessica Hittelman Lopez, JD ’13 (Rising Star), Staff Attorney, Brooklyn Legal Services; Brooklyn, NY

Andrew D. Miller, JD ’90, Executive Director, Human Solutions; Portland, Oregon

Brian P. Moran, JD ’93 (Pro Bono Award), Senior Attorney, Litigation Department, Paul Hastings; New York, NY

2018
Deborah Agus ‘79, Executive Director, Behavioral Health Leadership Institute, Baltimore, MD

David Kagle ‘08, Staff Attorney, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Bath Office, Bath, NY

Ryan Norwood ‘02, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Federal Public Defender, District of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV

Cheyenne Sanders ’14 (Rising Star Award), Deputy General Counsel, Yurok Tribe, Klamath, CA

Daniel Sosland ‘85, President, Acadia Center, Rockport ME

Quinten Steenhuis ‘08, Senior Attorney, Greater Boston Legal Services – Boston, MA

2017
Samuel Angell ‘88Assistant Federal Defender, Federal Community Defender Office, Philadelphia, PA

Ronna Blau ‘72, Deputy Chief Attorney, NYS Mental Hygiene Legal Services, First Department, New York, NY

Lynn W.L. Fahey ‘70, Attorney-in-Charge, Appellate Advocates, New York, NY

Naomi Post ‘79, Executive Director, Children’s Defense Fund, New York, NY

Deborah Press (rising star), Director of Regulatory Affairs, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Washington, DC

Katherine Rybak ‘79, Staff Attorney, Indiana Legal Services, Inc., Evansville, IN

Jeffrey Vogt ‘99, Legal Director, International Trade Union Confederation, Washington, DC

Leslie Wheelock ‘84, Director of the Office of Tribal Relations, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC

2016
Meredyth Andrus ‘85, Attorney, Health Care Division, U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C.

Christopher Clark ‘05, Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Boston, MA

Ed Cross ‘76, Staff Attorney, New Hampshire Public Defender, Manchester, NH

Sharice Davids ’10 (Rising Star Award), Deputy Director, Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation – Porcupine, SD

Tanya Douglas ‘92, Director, Disability Advocacy Project, Manhattan Legal Services – New York, NY

Edwin Lopez-Soto ‘81, Chief Counsel, Rochester City School District, Rochester, NY

Angela Rea ‘02, Chief, Adult Trial Division, Louisville-Jefferson County Public Defender, Louisville, KY

2015
Ronald Chillemi ’96, Assistant Attorney General, State of New Jersey, Trenton, NJ

Nav Dayanand LL.M. ’04, Director of Federal Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR

Lisa Graves ’94, Executive Director, Center for Media and Democracy, Madison, WI

William Kolen ’82 (Posthumous Award), Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago, IL

Jessica Lazarin ’06 (Rising Star Award), Immigration Staff Attorney, Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, Buffalo, NY

Laura Miranda ’98, Adjunct Clinical Faculty Member, Tribal Legal Development Clinic, UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, CA

Emily Paavola ’05 (Rising Star Award), Executive Director, South Carolina Death Penalty Resource and Defense Center, Columbia, SC

David Pels ’87 , Supervising Attorney, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Bath, NY

Jerome “Sam” Tarver ’90 , Associate General Counsel and Ethics Officer, U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Washington, D.C.

2014
George Cohen ’57, Director, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Washington, DC

Joseph Krakora ’83, Public Defender State of New Jersey, Trenton, NJ

Cyrus Mehri ’88, Partner, Mehri &Skalet LLP, Washington, DC

Alicia Plotkin ’80, Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Ithaca, NY

Judith Whiting ’86, General Counsel, Community Service Society, New York, NY

James Yoon ’03, Senior Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Human Rights and Special Prosecutions, Washington, DC

2013
David Baron ’77, Earthjustice, Washington, DC

Hon. Robert Boochever ’41 (posthumous),U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Pasadena, CA

Eve Hill ’89, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Washington, DC

Keisha Hudson ’03, Federal Community Defender, Capital Habeas Unit, Philadelphia, PA

Bryn Lovejoy-Grinnell ’08 (rising star award), Hiscock Legal Aid, Syracuse, NY

Cristina Velez ’02, HIV Law Project, New York, NY

Dennis Walsh ’83, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Washington, DC

Wendy Weinberg ’84, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington, DC

2012
Elizabeth Barker ’89 , Contra Costa Public Defender, Martinez, CA

Andrew Cowan ’08 (Rising Star Award), Committee for Public Counsel Services, Public Defender Division, Dedham, MA

Gabriela Solis de Ibarrola LL.M. ’02, Bufete Juridico Gratuito Social, A.C., Mexico City

Matthew Faiella ’05 (Rising Star Award), U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, New York, NY

Neil Getnick ’78, Getnick &Getnick, LLP, New York, NY

Len Kennedy ’77, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington, DC

Peggy Lee ’96, Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, Athens, OH

Michael Levine ’80, Local Initiatives Support Organization, New York, NY

Robin Lunge ’95, State of VT Director of Health Care Reform, Burlington, VT

Jason Patlis ’92, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Washington, DC

2011
Shane Cooper ’03, Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy

Lawrence F. Gardella ’75, Legal Services of Alabama, Montgomery, AL

Mary Griffin ’88, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, Boston, MA

Matthew D. Glasser ’77, World Bank, Washington, DC

Nancy Koppe ’92, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV

Charlotte Lanvers ’07 (rising star award), Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc., Berkeley, CA

June Lorenzo ’84, Pueblo of Laguna, Laguna, NM

Marie Pierre Py ’05 (rising star award), Public Defender Service of D.C., Washington, DC

2010
Barber Conable AB ’42 LL.B. (posthumous), President, World Bank, Washington, DC

David E. Fritchey ’72, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Philadelphia, PA

Nicola Goren ’92, Corporation for National and Community Service, Washington, DC

Allison Jordan ’05 (rising star award), Legal Aid Society of New York, New York, NY

James Murphy ’76, Legal Services of Central New York, Cortland, NY

Jessica Polansky ’05 (rising star award), Childrens’ Rights, New York, NY

Jay Waks BS ’68 JD ’71, Kaye Scholer LLP, New York, NY

2009
Daniel Boglioli ’00 (rising star award), Kaye Scholer LLP, New York, NY

Carl J. Boykin ’88, NYS Attorney General’s Office, Albany, NY

Arthur Eisenberg ’68, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York, NY

Bryan D. Hetherington ’75, Empire Justice Center, Rochester, NY

Douglas Meiklejohn ’71, New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Santa Fe, NM

Martha L. Raimon ’85, Center for the Study of Social Policy, New York, NY

2008
Jamie Andree ’79, Indiana Legal Services, Bloomington, IN

Joe Iarocci ’84, CARE, Atlanta, GA

Shannon Minter ’93, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Washington, DC

Rosemary Pye ’74, National Labor Relations Board, Boston, MA

John Tobin ’74, New Hampshire Legal Assistance, Manchester, NH

Lisa Wolford ’02 (rising star award), New Hampshire Public Defender, Concord, NH

Saman Zia Zarifi ’93, Human Rights Watch, Washington, DC

2007
David S. Buckel ’87, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, New York, NY

Gitanjali Gutierrez ’01, Center for Constitutional Rights, New York, NY

Douglas Lasdon ’81, Urban Justice Center, New York, NY

Albert H. Meyerhoff ’72, Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, LLP, Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Myers ’71, The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn, NY

Patricia Warth ’96, Prisoners’ Legal Services, Buffalo, NY

2006
Helaine Knickerbocker ’51, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, New York, NY

Paul W. Lee ’76, Goodwin Procter, Boston, MA

Angelica Matos ’99, Junta for Progressive Action, New Haven, CT

Elizabeth Padilla ’02 (posthumous), Brooklyn Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers’ Project, Brooklyn, NY

Martha Roberts ’84, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Geneva, NY

Michael Wright ’94, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Houston, TX

Counseling Appointments
Work with Akua Akyea, Associate Dean for Career Development, by phone, email or in-person to re-assess your skills/interests and investigate new employment options.

Web Resources
Visit this password-protected page to find Cornell-specific advice and vetted resources pertaining to government, judicial, non-profit, and public policy careers.  Be sure to register for Symplicity, Cornell’s jobs database.

Reciprocity
You may want to visit a law school career office close to where you live in order to view local job listings or lawyer directories. Through an agreement with Cornell called “Reciprocity,” you can access such services at other law schools, usually between December and July. Reciprocity services vary, so visit NALP’s reciprocity page to investigate what services your local law school offers.

Contact Lisa Carberry to make a counseling appointment, obtain username and password information, and request reciprocity.

Public Interest Program at Cornell Law School
The ultimate goal is to endow the entire Public Interest Law Program in order to best respond to increasing demand and reduce reliance on the law school operating budget, which is driven by tuition.

Public Interest Low-Income Protection Plan (PILIPP)
The chief concern of most students committed to practicing law in the public interest is how they will repay their student loans and also meet the costs-of-living while earning salaries many times less than those of attorneys in private practice. To allay the anxiety our new public-interest J.D.s feel about beginning their respective careers in debt, as well as to provide tangible support, Cornell Law School offers the Public Interest Low-Income Protection Plan (PILIPP). Grants made through the PILIPP vary depending on need, which we gauge by applying a formula that takes into account the applicant’s geographical location, number of dependents, and spouse’s salary/indebtedness, as well as reckoning the applicant’s salary and repayment obligations. PILIPP grants help recent graduates bridge the gap between disposable income and disposable diapers—and/or other necessities appropriate to a reasonable standard of living to repay.

Public Interest Fellowships (PIFS)
Public Interest Fellowships (PIFs) fund costs-of-living for first- and second-year students who take unpaid summer jobs with public-sector entities or non-profit organizations. The value of a PIF is generally $1,600 and Cornell Law School typically awards 80-100 PIFs each year. Students help us raise some of this money themselves by volunteering to stuff envelopes and dial telephones both before and during the PIF Phonathon, and by participating in other fund-raising activities. The dollar value of a PIF is modest but the difference it makes is great, especially to a student who has already taken on substantial educational debt.

Positions will be posted via a password-protected database

• Job postings are free of charge.
• Postings will be displayed for as long as you wish.
• Minimize processing time by sending your listing electronically through Symplicity.
• Please include the employer’s name and location in the job description.
• We do not accept blind listings.

To post a public sector job:

Government, judicial and non-profit organizations please send a position description including how long you would like it posted for to cls-careers@cornell.edu.

To post a post-graduate clerkship position:

Judicial employers please email your clerkship posting to:
law.clerkships@cornell.edu

Cornell’s Virtual OCI Program(Virtual) is our largest recruiting event. Currently, we are conducting the event virtually using FloRecruit.

The next fair will take place June 24 – 27, 2025. Employer registration opens January 16, 2025.

Early Resume Collection Service: June 6, 2025. Employer registration opens January 16, 2025.

Not seeing what you need?
We are here to assist you in recruiting our students at any time and can tailor the method to fit your needs. We would love to discuss your organization and the opportunities it has to offer. Please reach out to Brianna Kosowitz, Director of Recruiting & Employer Relations to schedule a meeting at your convenience.