Patrick Malone: 2023 winners of Representing Real People law school scholarships

Published on: 08/18/2023

Washington, D.C.: The law firm of Patrick Malone & Associates is giving $18,000 in law school scholarships in 2023 in its “Representing Real People” program to encourage students to devote their lawyer careers to representing underserved individuals.

There are two winners of $5,000 scholarships and eight of $1,000. The firm also is listing finalists who are not receiving a money grant but deserve recognition for their achievements and dedication.

This is the eighth year of the firm’s scholarship program.

“This year, again, we received many, many deserving applications,” Patrick Malone said. “Our applicants are dedicated, hard-working young people who aspire to legal careers representing real people. We’re glad to be able to help them, and we honor their sacrifice and commitment.”

The “Representing Real People” scholarships are intended for students committed to a career representing individuals, especially those of limited means. Suitable fields of law include immigration, tenant rights, employment (for individual employees and unions), family matters, disability rights, estates and trusts, criminal defense for indigents, and public interest law focusing on individual rights.

Here is the list of winners for 2023, with names, hometowns, law schools, and biographical details (mostly in the recipients’ words):

$5,000 scholarships:

Connor Downs of Foxborough, MA; University of Virginia School of Law –

Connor Downs of Foxboro, MA: University of Virginia School of Law – Connor Downs graduated from Bowdoin College in 2020, earning a BA in Psychology and History. After graduation, Connor moved to Washington, D.C., and began working as a paralegal for the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, where he participated in several cases focused on protecting workers from decreases in wages. At UVA Law, Connor plans to continue exploring ways to protect workers and use the law to balance uneven employer-employee power dynamics.

Hana Ferrero of Seattle, WA; University of Chicago Law School –

Hana graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2021, where she majored in Economics and Political Science and was a 4-year member of the Division I Women’s Rowing Team. After graduation, she was exposed to a wide range of cases as a legal assistant at a boutique litigation firm. She is currently serving an AmeriCorps term with a college access nonprofit, helping high school students navigate the college admissions process. In law school, Hana is excited to develop her advocacy skills in preparation for a career as a litigator. She also hopes to continue pursuing mentorship roles in education and eventually in the legal field.

$1,000 scholarships:

Emily Anaya of Kingwood, TX; The University of Texas School of Law –

Emily graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin where she will begin law school in the fall. As an undergraduate, Emily studied the intersections of effective communication and ethical leadership. She believes that language and law go hand-in-hand and hopes to help empower disenfranchised communities by equipping them with the tools to advocate for themselves whenever possible.

Jamie Dolley of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada; University of the District of Columbia – David A. Clarke School of Law –

Jamie is a neurologic Physical Therapist, who has worked in D.C. hospitals since 2018. The pandemic brought to light the flaws in the healthcare system, which affected both fellow healthcare workers and patients. Witnessing these shortcomings motivated Jamie to make a personal pledge to improve healthcare using the legal system. Upon graduation, Jamie aspires to enhance the American healthcare system through health policy changes, using her firsthand knowledge and experiences. By addressing the existing pitfalls and challenges, Jamie aims to contribute to a more resilient and patient-centered healthcare system. Jamie believes her experiences provide a unique perspective that can inform policy decisions to create an environment that prioritizes patient well-being while also recognizing the needs of healthcare professionals.

Audra Jones of Bristol, WI; Regent University Law School –

Upon graduation, I intend to use my law degree in the Human Rights and Labor Law fields. I plan to continue my work for human trafficking survivors. Survivors fight countless battles to clear their names in the court system and escape their traffickers, and I will be their legal guide. I also plan to be an advocate for workers from all backgrounds to support them during times of crisis. My utmost desire is to serve those who everyone else tends to neglect or mistreat. Those people are the ones I admire the most in this world, because they never stop fighting even when they are alone. My law degree will be used to make sure human trafficking survivors, farmers, plumbers, electricians, factory workers, and more never have to battle alone for their betterment and human dignity.

Yashica Kataria of Dubai, U.A.E.; New York University School of Law – 

Yashica earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science, with a minor in Computer Science, from Boston University. While at college, she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Boston University Pre-Law Review and Co-President of the Women In Law club. Following her graduation, Yashica gained invaluable experience as a legal assistant at two law firms, including Kirkland & Ellis. This exposure to the legal world further fueled her passion for the field and motivated her to pursue higher education. She is thrilled to be attending the New York University School of Law in the fall of 2023. As a first-generation college student, she understands the unique challenges that come with pursuing higher education and is particularly passionate about helping other first-generation students achieve their academic and career goals. After law school, she hopes to use her J.D. to protect survivors of domestic violence.

Grace Koh of Suwanee, GA; Duke University School of Law –

Grace Koh grew up in Suwanee, GA and graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in History and certificates in American Studies and East Asian Studies. During her time at Princeton, she interned at nonprofits that assist refugees and immigrants, including the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights in Seoul, South Korea and the MinKwon Center for Community Action in Flushing, NY. After graduating, Grace worked as a Legal Support Analyst at the New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau on cases ranging from public corruption to deed theft. Grace’s faith, personal background, and experiences working with vulnerable communities inspired her to attend law school. Grace intends to pursue a career in public service and especially hopes to use her legal education to assist and empower individuals who lack access to legal resources and information about their rights.

Lisette Leon of Duarte, CA; Duke University School of Law –

Lisette León is a first-generation college graduate and the daughter of two Mexican immigrants. She graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Secondary in Ethnicity, Migration, & Rights in 2021. Since then, she worked as a litigation legal assistant in New York and learned about the strength of high impact advocacy from dedicated lawyers. Inspired by those who raised her, she hopes to serve her community by joining the network of legal aid attorneys who share a vision of justice that expands access to resources.

Catherine McNally of Boston, MA; Columbia Law School –

Catherine graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Economics. For the past nearly two years, she has worked as a researcher at the Service Employees International Union Local 521, where she conducts research to support public sector workers throughout the state of California. After law school, she hopes to work as a labor lawyer to advocate for the rights of working people, and to ensure that workers have access to a dignified and safe workplace.

Victoria Pedri of Nova, MI; University Michigan Law School –

Victoria graduated from the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with an honors undergraduate in psychology and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. She dedicated significant time to promoting equity, inclusion, and social justice on campus while also working. She persisted in community work and her educational journey after having her first child at twenty-one, which she describes as “challenging.” Beginning as an intern during her MBA, Victoria worked with legal domestic violence organizations in Washington, DC, where she found her calling in the law and supporting survivors. In Windsor, she founded a local organization to prevent sexual violence against students and served as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for a transgender mental health center. She returned to Michigan to take the role of Project Manager at the United Way for Southeast Michigan and to apply to law school. As a future public interest attorney and a survivor of violence herself, Victoria plans to compassionately represent survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their children while fighting systemic inequities. 

FINALISTS 

Patrick Malone & Associates honors these finalists for our scholarship, who also embody the values of service for the underserved which our firm seeks to promote.

• Katherine Becker of  Bellevue, WA; Yale Law School
• Kesari Bush of Portland, OR; Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University College of Law
• Patrice Calancie of Manlius, NY; Georgetown University Law Center
• Danielle Colley of Spokane, WA; Seattle University School of Law
• Kathryn Davis of Hernando, MS; University of Memphis – Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law
• Laura Derbonne of Shreveport, LA; Tulane University School of Law
• Maxine Gomez of Houston, TX; Columbia Law School
• Andrew Katz of East Longmeadow, MA; Boston University School of Law
• Aliyah Kazemaini of Ladera Ranch, CA; University of California Los Angeles School of Law
• Linda Roman Marquez of Beaverton, OR; Lewis & Clark Law School
• Leigh-Anna Nielsen of Brooklyn, NY; City University of New York School of Law
• Camila Schaulsohn of Santiago, Chile; Cardozo School of Law