Law School’s Public Interest Center Welcomes its First Student Fellows

For 10 years, animating St. John’s Vincentian mission of serving the greater good, the Law School’s Public Interest Center has offered students a range of opportunities to explore and engage in public interest and pro bono work. Last semester, to advance and amplify that work, Center Director Jeanne Ortz-Ortiz launched the Public Interest Center Fellowship Program, welcoming students Justin Gorgchuck '25, Sadia Kauser '25, Sabrina Meristil '25, Bridget Murphy '25, and Hannah Stubbs '26 as the inaugural Fellows cohort. 

“Our Fellowship Program exemplifies the Center's mission of inspiring and cultivating the next generation of lawyers who use their law degrees to drive meaningful change,” Ortiz-Ortiz says. “We created it to expand the Center's leadership capacity, while giving outstanding St. John’s Law students the opportunity to develop important leadership skills hands on. I’m incredibly proud of our five inaugural Fellows. Since starting last fall, they have set a strong foundation for what promises to be an exciting spring, when many of our initiatives gain momentum.”

Those initiatives include the Center’s annual Spring Break Service Program and Public Interest Auction, which the Fellows help to organize and run along with members of Public Interest Law Students Association. Dedicating up to 20 hours a week during the academic year, the Fellows also work closely with Ortiz-Ortiz to enhance alumni engagement, development, and outreach efforts and to research, identify, and manage student pro bono opportunities. They attend public interest programs, events, and workshops and take on other responsibilities to support the Center's educational efforts. 

Justin Gorgchuck considers his Fellowship a formative experience. “Through this role, I’ve had the privilege of assisting in initiatives that foster a sense of community among aspiring public interest lawyers and alumni,” he says. I’ve also had invaluable opportunities to build meaningful connections with the Law School’s faculty and staff, as well as with public interest legal professionals outside St. John’s. These relationships have deepened my understanding of the field and reaffirmed my commitment to a career in public service, offering both mentorship and insight that align closely with my long-term goals of advancing justice and serving underrepresented communities.”

As she helps to fulfill the Public Interest Center’s mission, Sadia Kauser also finds her Fellowship role rewarding. “As a Center Fellow, I’ve gained valuable insights into the administrative aspects of managing pro bono and public interest programs for law students. I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to foster students’ awareness of, and commitment to, public service early in their careers, to encourage their continued dedication to these goals. I aspire to carry this support forward as an attorney, both as an engaged St. John’s Law alumna and within my professional environment.”

To learn more about the Public Interest Center Fellowship Program, please visit the Center’s website or contact Center Director Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz at [email protected].