Gender & Sexuality Law Blog

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2011! Here are some highlights of a few graduates and the great work they will be
doing:

Erin Meyer

Recipient of the Holthusen-Schindler Endowment Fund, Student attorney for the Columbia Law School Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic, Legal Intern for the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Special Projects/Solicitations Editor for the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law, Member of Columbia Law Women’s Association, Columbia Outlaws, Courtroom Advocates Project (CAP), and the NYC Bar Association LGBT Rights Committee. She was awarded the Queer Studies Award, presented by the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, for her essay “Gay Fathers: Disrupting Sex Stereotyping and Challenging the Father-Promotion Crusade” and Columbia Law School’s Jeffrey Williams Memorial Prize, awarded to the student who writes the best paper in critical theory, as well as the Allan Morrow Sexuality and Gender Law Prize, awarded upon graduation from the Law School to those who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the furtherance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. For more information about Erin and her thoughts on our Center, please click here.

Emily Amick

Member of the American Constitution Society Moot Court and Columbia Human Rights Law Review, Editorial Assistant for the Yearbook on International Investment Law and Policy, and Friedmann Conference Co-Chair for the Columbia Society of International Law. She was awarded the Equal Justice Works Fellowship and will be working for Sanctuary for Families.

Sanctuary for Families is the leading nonprofit in New York State dedicated exclusively to serving domestic violence victims, sex trafficking victims, and their children. The Equal Justice Works Fellowship Program partners talented lawyers wanting to pursue public interest legal careers with host organizations and sponsors to support projects that serve underrepresented populations across the country.

Leslie Hannay

Teaching Fellow for the Columbia Human Rights Clinic, Member of Editorial Review Board for the Columbia Human Rights Law Review and Columbia University Advisory Committee on Socially Responsibly Investing. She was awarded the Landesa Women’s Land Rights Fellowship.

The Landesa Center for Women’s Land Rights is an initiative of Landesa, an international non-profit organization that partners with developing country governments and non-governmental organizations to secure land rights for the world’s poorest people. She will work closely with Landesa staff to enhance their understanding of legal systems and customary rights, as well as the socio-economic conditions and institutions that shape women’s land rights; gain practical experience designing, implementing, and evaluating projects to protect or improve women’s rights to land; acquire and develop complementary skills that will enable them to work more effectively; and, network with professionals and organizations doing related development work.

Brian Jacobi

Staff Editor for the Columbia Human Rights Law Review. Student Senator, Member of the Columbia Mediation Clinic and United Nations Externship Program. He was awarded the David W. Leebron Human Rights Fellowship and will be working with the Georgian Young Lawyers Association in Tblisi, Georgia.

The David W. Leebron Human Rights Fellowship enables a Columbia Law School graduate to spend one year working with a host organization on a human rights project of the graduate’s choice anywhere in the world.

Shana Khader

Participant and 2L Chair of the Courtroom Advocates Project, 2L Representative for the Student Senate, 1L Board Representative for the Domestic Violence Project, Member of Rightslink and Society for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. She was awarded the Kirkland & Ellis New York City Public Service Fellowship and will be working with the
New York Legal Assistance Group.

Kirkland & Ellis offers the Kirkland & Ellis New York City Public Service Fellowship to “give something back” to the community and to enhance its relationship with Columbia Law School. The Fellowship provides one Columbia student the opportunity for a year of postgraduate public service that meets serious human
needs in New York City.

Jane Kim

Student attorney for the Columbia Law School Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic. She was the recipient of the Pauline Berman Heller Prize, awarded annually to the graduating student who has displayed the most outstanding record of academic achievement in the service of gender equality in law, business, or society, as expressed through his or her classroom performance, scholarly research, or other relevant activities.

Lindsey Merikas

Columbia Chapter Board Member of the National Lawyers Guild, Prison Education Initiatives Teacher at Riker’s Island, Rosie’s Facility, Connecticut Public Defender and Federal Defender for the Remote Capital Research Project, Member of the Moot Court Stone Honor Competition, Staff Editor for the National Black Law Journal, Events Chair for the Criminal Justice Action Network, and Member of the Black Law Student Association. She will be working with the Fair Trial Initiative.

The Fair Trial Initiative ensures fairness for indigent defendants facing the death penalty and to help address systemic inequalities in the justice system’s handling of capital cases.

Larra Morris

Student attorney for the Columbia Law School Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic. She was the recipient of the Allan Morrow Sexuality and Gender Law Prize, awarded upon graduation from the Law School to students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the furtherance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights.

Natalie Orr

Member of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review, Articles Editor for the Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual, and Member of the American Constitution Society Moot Court. She was awarded the Chadbourne & Parke/The Door Legal Services Center
Fellowship.

Chadbourne & Parke sponsors a fellow to work on-site at The Door for a period of approximately 16 months. Located in SoHo, The Door is New York’s premier youth development agency, and serves young people, aged 12-21 year, primarily from low-income families.