Students come to Miami Law with many avenues to explore their interests in social justice and public interest. Recently, members of the Miami Law community, alumni, and public interest employers gathered to recognize these students at the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center's Annual Public Interest Recognition Ceremony.
Students participating in the Pro Bono Challenge pledge to volunteer at least 75 hours of pro bono legal work during law school. The students who logged the most pro bono hours during the 2022-2023 academic year were 1L Christina Velazquez (Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, Colorado Office of the Child's Representative, and South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project), 2L Ashley Knoblauch (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida), and 3L Benjamin Brooks (Office of the Miami-Dade State Attorney).
David Yellen, dean and M. Minnette Massey Professor of Law, welcomed the guests and shared his reflections on the importance of public service by recounting his experience as a law student engaged in pro bono advocacy and acknowledging the impact that Miami Law students continue to have on the individuals and agencies they serve.
Andrew Dawson, vice dean and Judge A. Jay Cristol Professor of Bankruptcy Law, then joined the HOPE team of Marni Lennon, HOPE director and assistant dean of Public Interest and Pro Bono; Sharon Booth, Sara Baez, and Detra Davis-Fleming to present the awards.
"My extensive participation in pro bono opportunities during my 1L year helped me cultivate my legal research, trauma-informed interviewing, and legal writing skills," said Velazquez, "and this work connected me to my purpose for pursuing law and the local community I plan to serve after law school. I am grateful to the HOPE Office for connecting me to these invaluable opportunities and for their support throughout these experiences."
Students participating in the Community Service Challenge pledge to volunteer at least 25 hours of non-legal community service each year. The students who logged the most community service hours during the 2022-2023 academic year were 1L Lia Rosado, 2L Emma Sheridan, and 3L Lauren O'Neil. 1L Grace Georgo was also recognized for her service to the campus community through her volunteer work with the Office of Student Accessibility.
Each year, HOPE presents an Innovative Service in the Public Interest Award, which recognizes innovation in the creation of a new program or the significant expansion of an existing program. This award recognizes the need for creativity, commitment, and vision in implementing programs, systems, and services to address unmet legal needs. This year's award went to 3L Megan Hennings for her work with the Environmental Justice Clinic. Professor Abigail Fleming nominated her.
"I'm extremely honored to receive the Innovative Service in the Public Interest Award and celebrate the end of my time in law school with so many people who have supported me along the way," Hennings said. "I'm inspired by and thankful for the community partners and mentors I had while working on various interdisciplinary projects, especially Professor Abigail Fleming. The HOPE Office and Environmental Justice Clinic became home for me and I'm so grateful for the amazing opportunities to learn community lawyering while supporting grassroots advocacy work here in Miami."
HOPE also presents an Exemplary Service Award to a student who has gone above and beyond in providing services to those most in need. This award is based on a commitment to addressing the unmet needs of people experiencing poverty and demonstrated commitment and leadership through service. This year's award went to 2L Photini Kamvisseli Suarez for her work with the Human Rights Clinic. Professors Denisse Cordova Montes and Tamar Ezer nominated her.
"I am so grateful to the HOPE Office for this award, and to my clinic professors for nominating me," said Kamvisseli Suarez. "Working on the Right to Food Team this year has been an incredibly rewarding experience and has opened my eyes to the importance of food justice and the ways in which the right to food and other human rights are so intersectional and interrelated. I hope to continue working with the inspiring activists, organizers, and attorneys that I have had the privilege of learning from this past year."
Graduating students in the Miami Public Interest Scholars Program, Miami Law clinics, litigation skills, and the social justice concentration were also recognized, in addition to continuing students who will serve as summer fellows and members of the Public Interest Leadership Board. Associate Dean Rebecca Sharpless, founding director of the Immigration Clinic, highlighted the contributions students have made through the many opportunities for experiential learning at the law school and noted that many clients would not have been served but for the commitment of those participating in these programs.
Read more about the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center
More on social justice and public interest at Miami Law
