PILI designates a number of Named and Honorary Interns each year, thanks to special funding commitments made by individual and organizational champions for public interest law. Learn more about funding a named or honorary Internship here »

Fall 2023 Named & Honorary Interns

ANDERSEN INTERN

Madeleine Paulsen is a third-year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and is serving as the Andersen Named Intern at Legal Aid Society. Madeleine has previously worked as a Judicial Extern in the Office of the Presiding Judge, Domestic Violence Division in Chicago where she researched and drafted memos related to access to justice, financial abuse, and firearms restraining orders. Madeleine has also spent time working for the National Immigrant Justice Center’s LGBT Initiative, which assists LGBTQ+ individuals with immigration paperwork. Before attending law school, Madeleine received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.  This Internship is generously funded by Judge Wayne R. Andersen (Ret.), supporting the work of Legal Aid Society, which aims to protect and strengthen families by providing equal access to justice for all.

BAKER MCKENZIE INTERN

Alondra Silva is a second-year law student at University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and is serving as the Baker Intern at Center for Disability and Elder Law, an organization that provides free legal services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities throughout Cook County. Alondra previously worked as a translator for the Immigrant Justice Legal Clinic and desires to use her skills to expand access to justice for marginalized groups. Before attending law school, Lucy earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Minor in Latino Studies from Aurora University. Baker McKenzie has a longstanding commitment to ensuring access to justice for all of those in need, and funding a school-year Internship placement through PILI further supports this tradition of service.

BRAD & TERRI LANE INTERN

Magdalena Biedron is a second-year law student at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and is serving as the Brad and Terri Lane Named Intern at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. Madeleine has previously worked as a Judicial Extern in the Office of the Presiding Judge, Domestic Violence Division in Chicago where she researched and drafted memos related to access to justice, financial abuse, and firearms restraining orders. Madeleine has also spent time working for the National Immigrant Justice Center’s LGBT Initiative, which assists LGBTQ+ individuals with immigration paperwork. Before attending law school, Madeleine received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.  Brad & Terri fund an Internship stipend to make it possible for an aspiring attorney to help those who need assistance, and to assist that person in becoming a difference maker in legal aid, public interest, or pro bono service over the course of their professional career.

CHICAGO BAR FOUNDATION INTERN

Olivia McGrath is a second-year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and is serving as the Chicago Bar Foundation Intern at Ascend Justice, an organization with a mission to empower individuals and families impacted by gender-based violence or the child welfare system. Before attending law school, Olivia worked as a kindergarten teacher in Dallas, TX as part of the Teach for America program. In that role, Olivia learned about child advocacy and desires to continue advocating for the rights of children and their parents. Olivia graduated with a Bachelor of Business in Management and a Bachelor of Arts in World Languages from Southern Methodist University.

LAGBAC FOUNDATION INTERN

Michelle Barrera-Valenzuela is a third-year law student at DePaul University College of Law and is serving as the LAGBAC Foundation Intern at the National Immigrant Justice Center’s LGBTQ Project. Michelle has years of experience working on behalf of immigrants, and she is currently working as a Student Attorney with the DePaul University Asylum and Immigration Clinic. Before attending law school, Michelle earned a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Latin American & Latino Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago. The LAGBAC Foundation’s mission is to improve access to the legal and judicial system for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersexed and questioning persons by giving law students the opportunity to learn valuable, practical legal skills while giving back to our community. LAGBAC is Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the LAGBAC Foundation is its charitable foundation.

O’BRIEN INTERN

Julian Quiroga-Cubillos is a third-year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and is currently serving as the O’Brien Intern at the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Violence and Human Trafficking Project. Julian has previously interned at Beyond Legal Aid and The Resurrection Project where he did intake interviews in both English and Spanish and assisted clients with immigration paperwork. Before attending law school, Julian received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Michigan State University.  This Internship is generously funded by Justice Sheila M. O’Brien (Ret.), supporting the work of the National Immigrant Justice Center providing access to justice for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Summer 2023 Named & Honorary Interns

CHAPMAN AND CUTLER NAMED INTERN

Lucy Robinson from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the Chapman and Cutler Named Intern at Cabrini Green Legal Aid. This Internship is generously funded by the law firm of Chapman and Cutler LLP in recognition of PILI's 45th anniversary.

CHICAGO BAR FOUNDATION INTERNS

Niko Little from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Leanna Nichols from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and Hannah Spenadel from DePaul University College of Law are the Summer 2023 Chicago Bar Foundation Interns at Equip for Equality, Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, and Access Living respectively. As the charitable arm of the CBA, The Chicago Bar Foundation brings the legal community together to improve access to justice for people in need and make the legal system more fair and efficient for everyone.

JEROME GILSON HONORARY INTERN

Elizabeth Lewis from the University of Michigan Law School is the Jerome Gilson Honorary Intern at Legal Aid Society. This Internship is generously funded by the law firm of Crowell & Moring LLP in honor of one of the firm’s former named partners and longstanding member of PILI's Board of Directors, Jerome Gilson.

CHRISTOPHER J. HORSCH MEMORIAL INTERNSHIP

Amanda Medendorp from University of Illinois Chicago School of Law is the Christopher J. Horsch Memorial Intern at Center for Conflict Resolution. Christopher Horsch was a dedicated champion for access to justice and supporter of PILI, serving on the PILI’s Board of Directors for several decades.  Through the generosity of Christopher’s family, friends and colleagues, PILI was able to establish the Christopher J. Horsch Memorial Internship to honor Chris' memory and provide funding for PILI Interns.

ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION INTERN

Christina Danielson from University of Illinois Chicago School of Law is the Illinois State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Intern at Legal Aid Chicago in the Children and Families Practice Group.  The ISBA Young Lawyers Division's Children Assistance Fund has generously provided funding for this Intern, supporting direct legal services to, or on behalf of, poor, disenfranchised and underrepresented children.

JUSTICE THOMAS L. KILBRIDE HONORARY INTERNS

Kristin Hommel from Penn State Law at The Immigration Project, Eleanor Seal from University of Iowa College of Law at Land of Lincoln's Champaign office, Kristen Somerville from DePaul University College of Law at Illinois Legal Aid Online, and Rene Valenzuela from Loyola University Chicago School of Law at Equip for Equality are the 2023 Justice Thomas L. Kilbride Honorary Interns. Funded by the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois in honor of Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tomas Kilbride, this Named Internship is intended to highlight law students of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

LAGBAC FOUNDATION INTERNS

Anna Greer from DePaul University College of Law at Lambda Legal, Adam Heusinkveld from University of Illinois Chicago School of Law at Translegal at Chicago House, and Maya Joseph from Notre Dame Law School at Legal Council for Health Justice are the 2023 LAGBAC Foundation Interns. The LAGBAC Foundation’s mission is to improve access to the legal and judicial system for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersexed and questioning persons by giving law students the opportunity to learn valuable, practical legal skills while giving back to our community. LAGBAC is Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the LAGBAC Foundation is its charitable foundation.

ROSLYN C. LIEB HONORARY INTERN

Emily LaFlamme from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the Roslyn C. Lieb Honorary Intern at Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. Funded by individual donors as well as PILI Board Members, the Roslyn C. Lieb Honorary Internship honors the work and career of Roslyn C. Lieb, a former PILI Executive Director.

FLORENCE MILLER MEMORIAL INTERNS

Ambar Cornelio and Tyesha Smith from University of Illinois Chicago School of Law are the Florence Miller Memorial Interns at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and The Shriver Center for Poverty Law, respectively. Florence Miller, who passed away in 2008, was well-known in the international trademark law community and a strong advocate for women in the profession. Through Florence Miller’s generosity in her will, PILI was able to establish the Florence E. Miller Endowment Fund to provide much-needed funding for Interns.

JEROME MIRZA MEMORIAL INTERNS

Brooke Melvin from Southern Illinois University School of Law and Dy'Nisha West from Southern University Law Center are the Jerome Mirza Memorial Interns at Land of Lincoln's Carbondale office and Prairie State Legal Services' Rock Island office respectively. These Internships are funded directly by the Jerome Mirza Foundation in Bloomington, IL. Jerome Mirza, a 1963 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, was a leader in the field of trial advocacy and in the legal profession throughout his long career.

O'BRIEN NAMED INTERN

Ashley Moy-Wooten from Chicago-Kent College of Law is the O'Brien Named Intern at the National Immigrant Justice Center. This Internship is generously funded by Justice Sheila M. O’Brien (Ret.), supporting the work of the National Immigrant Justice Center providing access to justice for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

PILI ALUMNI NAMED INTERN

Melissa West-Castillo from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is this year's PILI Alumni Named Intern at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. The PILI Alumni Named Internship is generously funded by donations from PILI Intern & Fellow Alumni across the country.

POLK BROS. FOUNDATION INTERN

Alexandra Kirchner from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is the Polk Bros. Foundation Intern at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. This Internship is sponsored by the Polk Bros. Foundation, the largest supporter of PILI's Law Student Internship Program.

SIMMONS HANLY CONROY NAMED INTERN

Kaitlyn Salyer from Washington University School of Law is the Simmons Hanly Conroy Named Intern at Land of Lincoln Legal Aid's Alton office. Simmons Hanly Conroy has a longstanding commitment to ensuring access to justice for all of those in need, and funding a school-year Internship through PILI further supports this tradition of service.

NIKKI WILL STEIN HONORARY INTERN

Lindsey Avalos from University of Illinois Chicago School of Law is the Nikki Will Stein Honorary Intern at ACLU of Illinois. This Internship is generously funded by the Polk Bros. Foundation in honor of its long-serving immediate past Executive Director and member of PILI's Board of Directors, Nikki Will Stein.

ALFRED TISDAHL MEMORIAL INTERN

Abigail Magat from Chicago-Kent College of Law is the Alfred C. Tisdahl Memorial Intern at Legal Aid Chicago in the Housing Practice Group. A longtime supporter of PILI, the Francis Beidler Foundation funds the Alfred C. Tisdahl Memorial Internship to honor the memory of prominent Chicago litigator Alfred C. Tisdahl.

UNITED AIRLINES NAMED INTERN

Angela Yeh from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the United Airlines Named Intern at ACLU of Illinois. This Internship is funded by United Airlines. Since launching the Pro Bono & Community Service Program from its Chicago headquarters in 2012, United attorneys have been working diligently to make a difference for those in need and funding this Internship is an extension of that commitment.

ZURICH NORTH AMERICA NAMED INTERN

Nneka Ugwu from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the Zurich North America Named Intern at Equip for Equality. Zurich North America, a provider of insurance products and services to businesses and individuals, is sponsoring this Internship to support their belief that investing in a law student’s future through a PILI Internship naturally complements their legal team’s pro bono work.

Spring 2023 Named & Honorary Interns

BAKER MCKENZIE INTERN

Lia Raves from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the Baker McKenzie Intern at Cabrini Green Legal Aid. Baker McKenzie has a longstanding commitment to ensuring access to justice for all of those in need, and funding a school-year Internship placement at Cabrini Green Legal Aid through PILI further supports this tradition of service.

CHICAGO BAR FOUNDATION INTERN

Keerthi Madala from University of Illinois College of Law is the Chicago Bar Foundation Intern at Legal Aid Chicago. As the charitable arm of the CBA, the Chicago Bar Foundation brings the legal community together to improve access to justice for people in need and make the legal system more fair and efficient for everyone.

LAGBAC FOUNDATION INTERN

Jessica Chong from Saint Louis University College of Law is the LAGBAC Foundation Intern at the National Immigrant Justice Center. The LAGBAC Foundation’s mission is to improve access to the legal and judicial system for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersexed and questioning persons by giving law students the opportunity to learn valuable, practical legal skills while giving back to our community. LAGBAC is Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the LAGBAC Foundation is its charitable foundation.

O'BRIEN INTERN

Stephanie Flores Reyes from University of Oklahoma College of Law is the O'Brien Intern at the National Immigrant Justice Center. This Internship is generously funded by Justice Sheila M. O’Brien (Ret.), supporting the work of the National Immigrant Justice Center providing access to justice for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

MARY C. RUSSO MEMORIAL INTERN

Juan Gonzalez-Martinez from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the Mary C. Russo Memorial Intern at Greater Chicago Legal Clinic. This Internship is funded by Mary’s children to honor the memory of their mother who died in 2014. Mary was the consummate volunteer, contributing to her community in many ways, including forming the Office of Volunteer Resources for her city, Virginia Beach, Virginia. She served as Director of this office for 37 years, and also chaired many volunteer initiatives focused on education, mental health, drug abuse, and the court system, among others.