Third-year law student Nazli Doga Meric, a joint J.D./LL.M. candidate in International Law (U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers), is spending the summer at the Legal Services of Greater Miami working on Special Education matters as well as the Disaster Legal Assistance Project, which helps neighborhoods with damage from Hurricane Irma recover, thanks to a grant from The Florida Bar Foundation.
The Turkish native and member of the Istanbul Bar Association was a senior lawyer at Ernst & Young in Istanbul.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this prestigious fellowship from Florida Bar Foundation.” Meric says. “After having met with the officers, board members of Florida Bar Foundation as well as the 13 other brilliant fellows, I feel privileged to be part of the fellowship.”
The Florida Bar Foundation’s Summer Fellows Grant Program awarded fourteen law students the opportunity to work in civil legal aid programs this summer.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for these students,” said Kate York, the Foundation’s grants program officer. “It is a great way to develop their awareness and passion for legal services throughout Florida. Each student will bring their own unique perspective, as well as the knowledge learned in their training, to their civil legal placements.”
The 14 fellows, chosen out of 71 applicants, attended a three-day interactive Boot Camp training in March at the Miami law office of Akerman LLP. During the training, the fellows were taught skills such as persuasive speaking and client interviewing techniques. The students, after research on the legal aid organization at which they were placed, also gave speeches about each organization.
“Starting from day one, Legal Services of Greater Miami has provided me with a unique opportunity to work side by side with a talented group of attorneys who are dedicated to provide social justice.” Meric says. “I am fortunate enough to work under the supervision of Miriam Haskell, an inspiring social justice advocate, who has not only offered me her guidance, but also shared her experiences with me. This has allowed me to build my career path in the public interest arena.”
The Foundation was able to restart the Summer Fellows Program after a seven-year hiatus thanks to donations and pledges. The firm of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley P.A. gave $75,000 and Florida Bar Foundation board member David Prather of West Palm Beach firm Clark, Fountain, La Vista, Prather, Keen & Littky-Rubin pledged $50,000.
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