This summer, law students at the University of Miami embarked on internships within the public interest sector. These HOPE Fellows not only gained invaluable practical experience, but also made significant contributions to communities around the world by working on pressing legal issues. From advocating for social justice and human rights to providing legal services to underrepresented communities, these internships offer a unique opportunity for students to apply their learned theories and skills in real-world scenarios. The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center supports these law students by providing a $5,000 stipend, allowing them to dedicate their summer to impactful, uncompensated public interest work globally.
Tiffany DeFranza, Children’s Rights, New York, NY
Tiffany DeFranza, 3L, served as a HOPE Fellow with Children’s Rights in New York City, where she worked on impact litigation focused on constitutional violations to children’s rights by government systems. She graduated magna cum laude from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Education and from Drexel University with an M.S. in Special Education. Prior to law school, DeFranza worked in the school district of Philadelphia as a special education teacher. During her 1L year, she became a Florida Guardian ad Litem and during her 1L summer she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow in the Children’s Defense Division of the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office. As a 2L, Tiffany was a legal intern with the Children & Youth Law Clinic where, under the supervision of an attorney, she represented young adults transitioning out of Florida’s dependency system. She was also a law clerk with Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., in the Health & Income Maintenance Unit.
Arielle Frank, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Atlanta, GA
Third-year student Arielle Frank served as a HOPE Fellow with the Atlanta office of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights. She graduated from American University, where she interned in Congressman Ted Deutch's office, and worked on issues related to education, gun control, and animal rights. Frank also interned with the University of Florida's Lastinger Center, where she assisted in the rollout of the New Worlds Reading Initiative, one of the Florida legislature's largest bipartisan initiatives in 2021. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, she split her time between Dade Legal Aid's Child Advocacy Division and clerking at Mitrani, Rynor, Adamsky, and Toland P.A. Frank has also worked on the launch of the Futures Agenda, a cradle-to-career policy platform to ensure every child in the United States has an equitable opportunity for success. She is an active member of the Cardozo Legal Society and Miami Law Women.
Leanna Maharaj, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Paris, France
Second-year student Leanna Maharaj worked at NATO in Paris, France during her 1L summer. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S. in Economics and a minor in Legal Studies. While there, she volunteered with the Legal Aid Society, assisting with sealing and expunging services and took part in two summer internships with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris, France. Working at the OECD inspired Maharaj to pursue a career in international public interest on a macro scale. At Miami Law, she is president of the Caribbean Law Student Association and treasurer of the Human Rights Society.
Ashley Nuñez, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, New York, NY
During her 2L summer, Ashley Nuñez served as a HOPE Fellow with the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem on their Immigration Defense Team in New York city. She graduated cum laude from the University of Florida with majors in English and Political Science. Nuñez worked as a legal assistant with Rubenstein Law in Plantation, FL, where she assisted with opening personal injury cases and preparing documents for future settlement and litigation. At Miami Law, she is a Dean’s Merit Scholar working towards an area of focus in immigration. During her 1L summer, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Americans for Immigrant Justice in their Detention Program and successfully argued a bond motion in front of a Krome immigration judge to secure a low bond amount for her client’s release. As a 2L, Nuñez served as an intern with the Immigration Clinic and represented a client detained at Baker County Jail who was in removal proceedings.
Read more about Miami Law’s HOPE Fellows Program.
Read more about Miami Law’s Social Justice and Public Interest area of study.
