Five Students Awarded Altarescu Public Interest Summer Fellowships 2016

Fellows are serving low-income defendants, victims of domestic violence, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Five students at Boston University School of Law have received Altarescu Public Interest Summer Fellowships, which provide students with the opportunity to obtain first-hand experience in public interest law by working at organizations and agencies in various public interest arenas. The fellowships were made possible through a 2011 gift from Howard Altarescu (’74), a partner in Orrick’s Global Business Unit, who committed $100,000 to the School over five years.

This year’s fellows are placed in key organizations in Boston and New York, serving low-income clients, indigent defendants, victims of domestic violence, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

The 2016 Altarescu Fellows include four rising 3Ls and one rising 2L: 

Elvina Meyer (’17)
Bronx Defenders – Criminal Defense Practice (New York, NY)

The Bronx Defenders provide legal services, social work support and advocacy to low-income clients in New York City. Their criminal defenders represent nearly 30,000 people every year. They emphasize holistic defense, which prioritizes the needs of the client beyond the details of the case itself.

Lauren Rubin (’17)
Greater Boston Legal Services – Family Law Unit (Boston, Mass.)

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) offers free, non-criminal legal assistance to low-income people throughout the Boston area. The Family Law Unit serves victims of domestic violence, offering them legal aid and working to help them find an economically stable life free from emotional and physical abuse.

Misael Carlos Sanchez (’17)
Queens County District Attorney’s Office – Domestic Violence Bureau (New York, NY)

Serving under Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, the Domestic Violence Bureau handles felony and misdemeanor prosecutions of domestic partners. The staff is trained to address the complex personal issues related to domestic violence cases and forge strong relationships with victims.

Jennifer Villyard (’18)
AIDS Action Committee – Legal Department (Boston, Mass.)

The AIDS Action Committee of Boston offers education and services for people with HIV or at risk for contracting HIV. Their legal department offers civil representation and legal advice to clients living with HIV and AIDS. They work with their clients on issues related to housing, divorce, custody, benefits, and financial planning, among others.

Masha Zilberman (’17)
Legal Aid Society of New York – Criminal Defense Practice (New York, NY)

The Criminal Defense Practice at the Legal Aid Society of New York is the largest public defender program in the United States. With offices in all five boroughs of New York City, the Criminal Defense staff handles more than 230,000 cases per year.

Reported by Trevor Persaud (STH’18).