Public Interest Center

The CLARO Program is a pro se advice initiative sponsored by the New York City Bar Association and the Queens County Bar Association. Through this program, law students collaborate with volunteer attorneys to support individuals facing consumer debt lawsuits by advising them on self-representation strategies. Operating as a walk-in clinic every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Queens Civil Court, CLARO provides students with practical experience in consumer debt law. Prior to volunteering, St. John's Law students complete training on the relevant substantive and procedural law. As CLARO volunteers, students welcome clients, conduct intake interviews, accompany attorneys during litigant consultations, and assist with follow-up tasks, including drafting and filing court documents. 

In collaboration with Sanctuary for Families, St. John’s Law students participate in the CAP program, a pro bono initiative dedicated to advocating for domestic violence survivors seeking protective orders in family court. Students assist clients by drafting petitions, representing them at initial and subsequent court appearances before Family Court judges, educating them on the Family Court process, and providing safety planning resources. CAP prepares students through a comprehensive four-hour training session and a detailed training manual. Following training, students are assigned cases and work under the direct supervision of family law attorneys. 

Coordinated by St. John's Law and the New York State Unified Court System, the statewide Pro Bono Scholars Program allows eligible students in their last year of law school to take the February New York Bar Exam in exchange for completing 12 weeks of full-time, supervised, pro bono work from March through May of their final semester and completing an academic component. The character-and-fitness process is fast-tracked for Pro Bono Scholars seeking admission to the New York State Bar.

The first of its kind in the country, the program is designed to reinforce the legal profession’s commitment to, and St. John's Vincentian mission of fostering, a culture of service while generating countless hours of pro bono work each year on behalf of New York's most underserved communities.

Entering its second year, the Pro Bono Working Lunch brings together 100 alumni, faculty, administrators, and students together at St. John’s Law to provide free legal support to low-income New Yorkers through the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers Program, which operates locally through the New York State Bar Association as New York Free Legal Answers. Responding to questions submitted online, attorney-student teams work on issues related to employment, immigration, constitutional rights, estates and probate, tenant’s rights, and more.

Our annual Public Interest Auction brings hundreds of students, faculty, alumni, and friends together to bid on a wonderful range of goods, services, and experiences. Auction proceeds support the Center's programs and initiatives, including our:
 

• Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program

• Spring Break Service Program
• Center Fellows Program
• Pro bono programming

With this vital support, St. John's Law students build practical knowledge and skills hands on while giving back to their communities. 

Every year, the Center awards fellowships to four exceptional students who support key programs and initiatives throughout the academic year. Fellows engage in specific projects, including the Spring Break Service Program and the annual Public Interest Auction. This fellowship offers invaluable opportunities for professional growth, connecting fellows with experts and peers dedicated to public interest law, and providing access to specialized resources and opportunities.

This new, immersive program is designed for students committed to public service and social justice. Through a series of hands-on workshops and reflective discussions, participants will deepen their understanding of public interest law and strengthen their readiness for service-oriented careers. Students who complete the program will receive a Public Interest Law Foundations Certificate, recognizing their dedication and the skills gained through this learning opportunity.

During spring break week in March, students commit 20 to 40 hours of pro bono work to local and out-of-state public interest organizations, gaining hands-on experience in various activities such as:  

• Legal research and writing 
• Accompanying attorneys to court proceedings and conferences, whether virtual or in-person
• Participating in client intake meetings
• Reviewing and compiling executive orders or legislative updates
• Assisting with legal articles and publications

With partnerships spanning over 15 organizations, our students tackle a diverse array of issues, including civil rights litigation, protecting the legal rights of elder citizens and undocumented residents, advocating for LGBTQ+ youth, and defending tenants against eviction.

The Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program seeks to encourage and facilitate participation by St. John’s Law students in the delivery of legal aid services and legal advocacy. 

Fellowships are awarded to eligible students for full-time summer positions in non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. These positions focus on providing legal assistance and advocacy to traditionally underrepresented clients, groups, or interests. 

The number of fellowships available each year, and the award amounts, are based on available funds. Fellowships are funded by proceeds from our online, silent, and live auctions, endowment funds, alumni donations, as well as law school Center-specific and foundation-supported fellowships. 

The Public Interest Center and its affiliates offer students a range of opportunities to gain practical knowledge and skills while advocating for underrepresented individuals and communities.

Clinics

Students gain experience doing real legal work for New Yorkers in need through our 10 in-house and partner clinics:

• Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic

• Bread and Life Immigration Clinic

• Child Advocacy Clinic

• Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic

• Criminal Defense Clinic

• Domestic Violence Litigation Clinic

• Economic Justice Clinic

• Prosecution Clinic

• Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic

• Securities Arbitration Clinic

Public Interest & Public Service Externships

Eligible students can apply to St. John's law-approved public interest and public service externship placements or seek approval from the Career Development Office for an outside placement. Over 100 public interest and public service employers are currently approved under the St. John's Law Externship Program, including:
 

• District Attorney's Offices

• Environmental Protection Agency

• Federal Trade Commission

• National Labor Relations Board

• New York City Law Department

• New York State Attorney General's Office

• U.S. Attorney's Offices

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

The Public Interest Center affiliates with the Public Interest Law Students Association (PILSA). Part of the Law School's Student Bar Association (SBA), PILSA is made up of law students dedicated to supporting and enhancing the Law School's public interest endeavors. In the past, PILSA has worked with various public interest organizations, the Center, the Law School Administration and the Career Development Office to coordinate on-campus activities, including panel presentations, fundraising and social events. Additionally, PILSA encourages students' involvement in off-campus public interest organizations where they can assist, under practice order or attorney supervision, in helping real world clients. 

The resources below are basic examples of public interest opportunities. For more information and a list of pro bono opportunities, please refer to the Public Interest Center Canvas course. 

Job Opportunities 

• Public Service Jobs Directory (PSJD): A unique online clearinghouse for law students and lawyers to access public interest job listings and career-building resources. PSJD also has Practice Area Guides to explore career options.
• Idealist.org: A job search board where some public interest organizations, such as legal aid providers, post jobs for attorneys. 
• Students should also check Symplicity and the Career Development Office newsletter for additional information. 

Career Fairs 

• Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair: Hosted by NYU Law, the PILC Fair provides a forum where employers and students can connect during interviews and information tables. 
• Equal Justice Works: A national nonprofit, Equal Justice Works creates opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. Each fall, Equal Justice Works hosts its annual Career Fair, bringing together hundreds of law students and public interest employers for prescheduled interviews and table talk discussions. 

Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz
Pronouns: She/Her
St. John's University School of Law | 3-41
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
Tel: 718-990-6948 | Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn

Gina M. Calabrese
Professor of Clinical Legal Education
Associate Director, Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic

Ann L. Goldweber
Professor and Director of Clinical Legal Education
Director, Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic

Kayla A. Dorancy ‘27 

Pronouns: She/Her

Kayla is a third-year law student from Brooklyn, NY. She earned a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy of Law from CUNY Brooklyn College in 2020. Throughout college, she worked in post-secondary advisement for Brooklyn public high school students, which inspired her to pursue law. During her 1L summer, Kayla interned at the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice in their Queens Trial Office and spent this past summer at the Brooklyn Defenders Services’ Family Defense Practice, representing parents/caregivers in Kings County Family Court. In her 2L year, she joined the Executive Boards of SJU Defenders and St. John’s Law National Lawyers Guild chapter and became a research assistant for Professor Anna Arons on family regulation system issues. As a Public Interest Center Fellow, Kayla is eager to further strengthen the Center as a go-to resource for students across all areas of public-serving law and develop connections with peers and alumni who share a commitment to social justice. 

Isabella Freydell '27

Pronouns: She/Her

Isabella is a second-year law student from Long Island, NY. She graduated from Binghamton University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Anthropology. Prior to law school, Isabella worked on the New York City Council campaign for Rita Joseph in District 40, where she deepened her commitment to community-driven advocacy and public service. At St. John’s, she will serve as a Junior Editor on the New York International Law Review and is a member of the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute. She also participated in the Spring Break Service Program, working with Legal Aid of Western Missouri in Kansas City. This past summer, Isabella interned at the Queens Supreme Court Civil Term under Hon. Lumarie Maldonado Cruz through the Celina and Sonia Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program. As a Public Interest Center Fellow, Isabella looks forward to intertwining her passion for public service with her love for the arts and her dedication to supporting creative communities.

Samantha Grenard ‘27

Pronouns: She/Her

Samantha is a second-year student from Great Neck, NY. She graduated with a B.A. in History from Fordham University in 2024. This past summer, Samantha worked at the Federal Defenders of New York where she gained experience working at a Community Defender Organization, representing indigent clients in federal criminal cases. As a 1L, Samantha served as Co-Chair of the 2024-2025 Public Interest Auction Full-Time Faculty Solicitation Committee. She is a staff member on the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development and serves on the Family Law and Child Advocacy Society Executive Board. As a Public Interest Center Fellow, Samantha looks forward to strengthening her commitment to public interest work and encouraging students to consider the reward of a career in the public interest sector.

Hannah Stubbs '26

Pronouns: She/Her

Hannah is a third-year student from Bucks County, PA. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2019 with a B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies and a minor in the Hesburgh Program of Public Service. Before attending law school, Hannah gained meaningful public service experience as a paralegal at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. In her spare time, she provided pro bono legal assistance to the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. At St. John’s Law, Hannah serves as an Articles and Notes Editor on the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review. During her 1L summer, she received a Summer Public Interest Fellowship and interned with a District of New Jersey magistrate judge. During her 2L year, she was a judicial extern and a U.S. Attorney’s Office legal extern in the Eastern District of New York. As a second-year Center Fellow, Hannah is excited to build on her work at the Center and continue to engage with students who are interested in public interest law and pro bono work.

Elshaday Yeshitila Yilma ‘26

Pronouns: She/Her

Elshaday is a third-year law student from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She graduated cum laude from Berea College in 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science and earned her M.A. in Social Justice and Equity Studies from Brock University in 2020. At St. John’s Law, Elshaday is an Associate Managing Editor of the St. John’s Law Review, a former student advocate with the Defense and Advocacy Clinic, and a teaching assistant for Legal Writing and Criminal Law. She interned for Hon. Jessica Clarke of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the ACLU’s Racial Justice Project. As a Public Interest Center Fellow, Elshaday is excited to work with students and alumni to build a strong public interest law community on campus.

By subscribing to our biannual newsletter, Justice in Action, you'll receive updates on our programs, inspiring stories of student and project achievements, and opportunities to get involved and support our mission.

• 2025 Summer Newsletter
• 2025 Winter Newsletter

Don't hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about the Center and get involved in our efforts. You can email Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz, the Director, at [email protected] or by calling 718-990-6948. For general inquiries, please email [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Your support is crucial in driving forward the initiatives at the Public Interest Center. To contribute, please consider: 

1. Making an online donation or 

2. Feel free to contact Brian Woods at the Law School Development and Alumni Relations Office by emailing [email protected] or calling (718) 990-5792 for more ways to support our work.

Every contribution, big or small, makes a significant impact.