September 19, 2024

Meet our 2024 PILC Grant Recipients Working in Civil Legal Aid and Nonprofits — Part Two

Southwestern's Public Interest Law Committee (PILC) is a student-run organization that sponsors several events each year to raise student awareness and involvement in providing legal services for underrepresented communities and is dedicated to facilitating public interest law careers by supporting students in public interest work through fundraising efforts for the school's Public Interest Law Summer Grant Program.

We want to recognize these students and their incredible work with their Public Interest Law Committee Summer Grant. Meet our second group of 2024 PILC Grant recipients working in Civil Legal Aid and Nonprofits:

Xthlali Nunez 

Harvey L. and Lillian Silbert Grant Recipient

Summer Placement: Public Counsel

As of this moment, I am looking to build a career in Crimmigration, serving clients as a criminal defense and immigration attorney. I am a first-generation Latina who was raised in Los Angeles in a family of Mexican immigrants. While I was growing up, I learned the importance of legal immigration status and how difficult it was to obtain it. I grew up realizing and experiencing the disparity of being “othered” in America. My experiences and the experiences of my community fueled me to pursue a legal career where I could help create positive changes.

Nellie Rafaelian

Summer Placement: Bet Tzedek Legal Services

I am passionate about public interest work because it allows me to directly impact the lives of individuals who might otherwise struggle to navigate the legal system. The satisfaction I’ve gained from helping those in need this summer has shown me how meaningful it is to use my legal skills to promote fairness and justice. I am committed to incorporating public interest or pro bono work into my career, whether through dedicated pro bono hours, involvement in community legal clinics, or supporting initiatives that expand access to justice. This balance will enable me to contribute to both my professional development and the well-being of those who need legal assistance the most.

Melinda Rivas

Summer Placement: Bet Tzedek Legal Services

Law school is empowering in that not only has my confidence in myself and my abilities grown but in the literal sense that when I graduate, I will be granted the power to help people. Public interest work has always been my goal; I feel that if I am not actively making the world a better place, even for just one person besides myself, I have no purpose. As someone who grew up in a low-income immigrant community, I have witnessed first-hand the injustices those who cannot afford representation face, and it is a privilege that I will one day be able to give back to that very same community and others just like it. My short-term goal is to work at a non-profit organization such as the Children’s Law Center of California. In the long-term, I would like to eventually start my own non-profit organization that center’s around legally protecting undocumented children.

Hector Sanchez

Dean Leigh H. Taylor Public Interest Law Fund Grant Recipient 

Summer Placement: Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project

One of the most inspiring experiences during my time at Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project occurred during an intake session at the Santa Ana Immigration Court with a married couple who had endured a perilous journey to the United States. Upon their arrival, they were subjected to harassment by immigration officers, who dismissed their fears and made them feel unwelcome. This hostile treatment frightened the couple so much that they destroyed vital evidence that could have supported a defense against their removal.

Despite the absence of this crucial evidence, I chose to continue the interview, believing that their story could still form the basis of a valid asylum claim. Throughout the session, the couple was visibly anxious and distressed, but as they gradually shared the details of their journey, I noticed a transformation. By the end of the interview, they seemed more at ease, and the husband expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to speak freely about their experiences—something they realized they had never done before. They shared how most people had either not asked or had dismissed their story, making this moment particularly meaningful for them.

This interaction was a powerful reminder of the deeper purpose behind our work. It’s not solely about securing legal victories but about providing a space where individuals feel heard, respected, and validated. While the success rate of asylum claims in the U.S. can be discouraging, experiences like this reaffirm my commitment to advancing the rights of marginalized immigrant communities through steadfast and compassionate advocacy.

Jonathan Vergara-Diaz

Summer Placement: Central American Resource Center - Deportation Defense Unit

I am passionate about public interest work because it embodies the principle that the legal system is fair to everyone. I grew up in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, a low-income community, one where I constantly heard about injustice.  I witnessed firsthand the disparities faced by individuals with limited resources. Public interest ensures that everyone, including those with less resources and knowledge have access to counsel when appropriate. Community members seem to believe that legal counsel is for solely for wealthy people, and pro bono/ public service orgs work to dismantle this misconception. These organizations provide essential support to low-income individuals, helping to build trust in the legal system. I plan to commit my time to serving the City of Los Angeles in the public sector. I find it to be incredibly rewarding to interact with the community and be able to serve them to give them a fighting chance. I hope to continue this work in the future and contribute to a more just society. 

I am thankful to the Public Interest Law Committee for providing me with the PILC Grant and for the encouragement they give us students in pursuing careers in the public service sector. It is very refreshing to see this at my school and I am proud to be a participant in the Public Interest Sector. 

Isabella Zemshman

Summer Placement: Bet Tzedek Legal Services

During the summer I worked on various research projects for Decedents’ Estates, which had a lot of niche legal topics, such as digital assets or death certificates. I realized I needed assistance with my research searches. I sought help from the librarians at Southwestern Law School in order to get on the right path. By seeking help I saw my understanding and knowledge grow in legal research, which I applied to later assignments. My research projects from Bet Tzedek’s Decedents’ Estates helped cultivate my love and interest in legal research, and further pursuit to gain more exposure and practice with legal research. Thanks to this experience I have decided to enroll in an Administrative Law Legal Research course this coming fall semester.

About the PILC Summer Grant Program

Southwestern's PILC Summer Grant program was established in 1990 with the mission of providing financial support to selected recipients seeking full-time summer clerkships with legal services organizations providing no-cost assistance to underserved, marginalized communities. This program makes it possible for students to acquire the legal training and education necessary to address the lack of access to legal services for indigent communities while also alleviating Southwestern students' financial burden of acquiring more educational loans in order to do so.

PILC sincerely thanks our donors and supporters for your invaluable contributions to this program benefiting Southwestern students. PILC's mission is to help create a community where Southwestern students, staff, faculty, and alumni are educated and incentivized to participate in issues concerning and advancing the public interest, and it is your support of this mission that is vital in helping us reach our fundraising goals each year. 

The student deadline to apply to the 2025 PILC Summer Grant Program is March 10, 2025. Awards up to $5,000. Email publicservice@swlaw.edu for more information.