2013 Summer Associates Announced

Cleveland, OH -- The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland recruited top law students for its 2013 summer associate program. More than 90 students from 30 law schools applied to Legal Aid's competitive summer program. A staff committee selected 13 students who will work at Legal Aid for a summer placement.

Legal Aid attorneys mentor the summer associates on issues of poverty law. The structured 11-week program includes trainings on substantive law, public interest work, and basics of legal practice. Students learn how to interview clients, draft court pleadings, research relevant legal issues and observe hearings and trials.

Many summer associates are funded through their law school's public interest law program, alumni associations, or through national foundations such as Equal Justice Works Summer Corp Program and Equal Justice America. The schools, students and placements include:

Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Lidija Barauskas
Volunteer Lawyers Program and Intake

Kristen Curtis
Family Law Practice Group

Emma Knoth
Family Law Practice Group

James McEwan
Health, Education, Work, Income and Immigration Practice Group
with focus on Unemployment Compensation

Alexander Petraglia
Community Engagement Practice Group

Anne Vaz
Health, Education, Work, Income and Immigration Practice Group
with focus on Wage/Hour Law

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Chanucey Keller
Health, Education, Work, Income and Immigration Practice Group
with focus on Legal Aid's Community Advocacy Program with The MetroHealth System

Gabriel R. Schrager
Health, Education, Work, Income and Immigration Practice Group
with focus on Tax Law

University of Indiana - Bloomington

Besma Fakhri
Health, Education, Work, Income and Immigration Practice Group
with focus on Public Benefits Law

University of Notre Dame

Caitlin Carlin
Volunteer Lawyers Program and Intake

Andrew Harris
Consumer Law Practice Group

University of Pennsylvania School of Law

Lawrence Elya Beer
Health, Education, Work, Income and Immigration Practice Group
with focus on Immigration Law

University of Toledo School of Law

Stephanie Mary Gurgol
Housing Law Practice Group

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland provides high-quality free legal assistance to low income clients in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain and Geauga counties. Legal Aid's mission is to secure justice and resolve fundamental problems for those who are low income and vulnerable by providing high quality legal services and working for systemic solutions. Founded in 1905, it is the fifth oldest organization of its kind in the US. For information, visit lasclev.org.