Dear Friends,

I hope you’re enjoying every moment of the summer sun. As St. John’s Law prepares to celebrate 100 Years of Excellence, Prominence, and Impact, I’m excited to share highlights from our 2025 Spring Semester and summer programs.

Since joining St. John’s Law in fall 2023, I’ve now had the privilege of experiencing a full academic year immersed in our programs and partnerships. That vantage point has only deepened my appreciation for the incredible work happening here—and the tremendous potential ahead to grow the reach and impact of the Public Interest Center.

The updates that follow capture more than milestones; they reflect the passion and commitment of the St. John’s Law community, especially when we come together to advance justice and support our students as they prepare to become the lawyers our world needs. Our students remain at the heart of everything we do, and I’m proud of all we have accomplished together over the past year.

If you missed our Fall 2024 highlights, you can read them online.

Warmly,

Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz
Director, Public Interest Center  

We kicked off the year by hosting a Silent Auction at the Alumni Luncheon at the Manhattan Center which featured 15 auction items generously donated by alumni. The Silent Auction helped raise awareness and thousands of dollars for the Center’s programs while fostering alumni engagement and celebrating our shared commitment to public interest.

Over Spring Break, 50 students—including 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and LL.M. candidates—dedicated over 1,000 hours of pro bono work across a range of practice areas, including queer legal advocacy, civil legal aid, criminal justice, consumer rights, elder law, tenant advocacy, and special education law.

Through this program, students engaged directly with clients, shadowed attorneys, applied their language skills, contributed to cases, and conducted research for Know Your Rights materials—work that contributed to the mission of our program partner organizations and agencies and the communities they serve. Professors Katy Piper, Gina Calabrese, Christopher Anderson, and Andrew Leaser also played a role in the program by training our students ahead of Spring Break.

Read more: St. John’s Law Students Spend Spring Break Serving the Greater Good

This year, we relied on our core program partners for the Spring Break Service Program, and our Fellows and colleagues in the Career Development Office worked diligently to recruit new organizations. We were thrilled to welcome new partners to the program, including Queens Defenders, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, the New York State Division of Human Rights, Mobilization for Justice, Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc., The Children's Law Center, and the Long Island Advocacy Center as new hosts for St. John’s Law students.

As part of the Program, a group of St. John’s Law students also traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to support the work of the Federal Public Defender Office and Legal Aid of Western Missouri. Students contributed to casework, appeals, visited clients in prison, and observed the challenges and rewards of public interest practice in a different jurisdiction.

Our 2025 Public Interest Auction brought together over 300 students, alumni, faculty, administrators, and friends for an unforgettable evening of community and fundraising. We sold a total of 93 lots through our live and silent auction blocks.

During the program, we honored Kiera LoBreglio '05 with the 2025 Erica B. Fine '82 Public Interest Champion Award and recognized Daniela Ras '26, Priscila Ruiz '26, and Kayla Dorancy '27 as our top three student solicitors for their outstanding efforts in securing donations. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we raised over $150,000 to sustain our public interest programs and directly support our students in the year ahead.

This year also marked the start of a new tradition: selecting a unique first lot for bidding. Replacing the jar of pickles, the opening item was a 2.2-pound jar of Nutella, which sparked a friendly bidding war between Professor Jennifer Baum and Kiera LoBreglio’s young son. The result? Professor Baum won—and then gifted the Nutella to her spirited competitor.

Allie Cabibbo ‘19 enjoys the two tickets she won at the Auction to attend the 2025 ESPYS Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.

A big thank you to our Center Fellows — Bridget Murphy '25, Justin Gorgchuck '25, Sadia Kauser '25, Hannah Stubbs '26, and Sabrina Meristil '25 — for their extraordinary leadership and planning, the E- board of the Public Interest Law Students Association for their steadfast support, our Auction committees, our 100 student volunteers, the alumni and faculty who donated, and of course, everyone who bid high and often!

Read about this year’s Auction sponsor: St. John’s Professor John P. “Jack” Clarke ‘55CBA, ‘57L, ‘24HON Reflects on a Lifetime of Support

This spring, the Public Interest Law Students Association (PILSA) organized and hosted several events and initiatives, including:

The Center co-hosted Pro Bono & Brunch—an event where students, faculty, administrators, and alumni came together to answer legal questions from New Yorkers seeking support from lawyers. Our attorney mentors—Professor Jennifer Baum, Professor Ann Goldweber, Anjelica Mantikas '18, Jeanne Ortiz Ortiz, and Erin McCormack-Herbert—guided students through the questions and collaborated with our students to answer them.

The event built on the momentum of our Pro Bono Working Lunch last fall and was led by two students from the Immigration Law Society and the Family Law & Child Advocacy Society: Nicole Castillo Guiracocha ‘25 and Nicole Cummins ‘25.

In connection to our Rock ‘n’ Roll- themed Auction, Rose F. DiMartino ’81 launched the She Rocks! Challenge at the Alumnae Leadership Council’s Celebrating Women in the Law event.

Rose called on 20 alumnae to each donate $3,000 and matched every dollar—covering a full Summer Public Interest Fellowship stipend for a student. Thank you for your generosity, Rose—you rock!

This semester, we were excited to launch our alumni spotlight series via social media with a feature on the Hon. Judy Kluger (Ret.) ’77 and José Luis Pérez '82CBA, '85L. With this series, we celebrate our alumni’s achievements while underscoring the value of public interest and pro bono work for students.

The Center proudly celebrated its nine Pro Bono Scholars, all of whom successfully passed the Bar Exam and completed the Pro Bono Scholars Program. In exchange for taking the Bar Exam during their final semester, each Scholar committed to providing over 520 hours of pro bono service through one of our in-house or partner clinics.

All Scholars are now in the process of being admitted to the Bar. This year, they served in a variety of clinics, including the Refugee and Immigrant Rights Clinic, Child Advocacy Clinic, Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic, Tenants' Rights Advocacy Clinic, Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic, and Domestic Violence Litigation Clinic. Read more online: As Pro Bono Scholars Nine St. John’s Law 3Ls Pass the Bar Exam and Accelerate Their Careers

Our 2025 Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program saw significant growth this year. Applications rose by 51% over the previous year (from 103 to 156), reflecting increased student interest in public service and continued strong institutional and alumni support. A record 117 fellowships were awarded—up from 81 in 2024—with total stipend funding reaching $673,100.

Fellows will collectively contribute over 41,000 pro bono hours, an estimated value of $1.3 million in legal services and advocacy. This marks the Program’s largest cohort since its founding in 1999, when just seven students participated. As in 2024, all eligible applicants who met deadlines and requirements received funding.

St. John’s remains one of the few law schools in the NYC area to offer stipends exceeding $5,000, enabling students to engage in full-time public interest work. Notably, 84% of Fellows are 1Ls gaining critical early-career experience. Fellows are working across a wide range of legal settings— from nonprofits and advocacy groups to courts and government agencies—with placements spanning New York and other states including California, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Vermont, and New Jersey.

Read more online: From the Lone Star State to the Big Apple: Summer Public Interest Fellows Advance Justice

The Class of 2025 demonstrated a strong commitment to pro bono, contributing over 40,000 hours of service—an estimated $1.4 million in legal assistance. This work covered clinics, pro bono initiatives, public interest internships and externships, and other efforts that help expand access to legal help for those without representation. 34 graduating students went even further, dedicating between 500 and 1,000 hours to serving our communities. This effort is a powerful reflection of our Vincentian values—centered on service, justice, and empowering those who are most in need.

As we concluded another year, the Center and PILSA reflected on the many milestones our students, faculty, alumni, and partners achieved together — from launching new initiatives and hosting important discussions to fundraising and making an impact through pro bono.

We also had the honor of recognizing two outstanding alumni, Brian Cody '95 and Msgr. James Kelly '80, for their ongoing commitment to public service and advocacy. This year's awards were presented by one of our honorees last year, Professor Christine Bella '96. We also celebrated our graduating 3Ls and welcomed the incoming Executive Board of the Public Interest Law Students Association as they step into their leadership roles.

Makousse B. Ilboudo ’16 was recently appointed as Executive Director of the newly established Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance in New York City.

Nicole Castillo Guiracocha ’25 joins an effort to provide New Yorkers confidential and multilingual guidance on immigration-related issues. Read more: St. John’s Law Answers the Call for Immigration Information Phone Bank Volunteers

Jeffrey L. Meyers ‘07 received the Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Award at this year’s Connecticut Bar Association’s annual awards ceremony. Jeffrey was recognized for his pro bono work through Connecticut Legal Services and the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Volunteer Attorney Program, where he provides legal assistance to those in need seeking representation in family law and housing cases.

New data reveals that in 2023, 1 in 4 New Yorkers—25%—were living in poverty, up from 23% the year before and nearly double the national rate of 13%. This reality underscores why the Center’s public interest mission could not be more important. Through tenant advocacy, public benefits assistance, and policy reform efforts, our students are driving change at the root of these challenges.

What moment made you realize the importance of public interest and pro bono work?

On the importance of legal aid and defense attorneys

My understanding of the critical importance of public interest and pro bono work deepened significantly during my time at the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. While the focus was on prosecution, I witnessed firsthand the profound impact of legal aid and defense attorneys dedicated to ensuring a fair trial for all, regardless of their ability to pay.

One case, in particular, stands out. It involved a man accused of drunken driving who vehemently maintained his innocence. The evidence against him was largely based on standardized field sobriety tests administered at the scene of the police stop and a blood test taken at the hospital after the police car crashed. The man couldn't afford a private attorney, so he was represented by a public defender.

What struck me was the unwavering dedication of the legal aid attorney. Despite limited resources and a heavy caseload, she meticulously investigated the case, challenged the evidence, and fought tirelessly to protect her client's rights. She scrutinized the circumstances of the police stop, questioned the validity of the standardized field sobriety tests, and challenged the chain of custody and accuracy of the blood test results from the hospital.

Observing her advocacy, I realized that the pursuit of justice isn't always about securing a conviction. It's about ensuring that the legal process is fair, that everyone has an equal opportunity to be heard, and that the rights of the accused are protected. Without dedicated public defenders and legal aid attorneys, many individuals would be at the mercy of the system, with little chance of challenging the charges against them.

This experience underscored the vital role of public interest lawyers in safeguarding the principles of justice and fairness. It reinforced my commitment to using my legal skills to advocate for those who are marginalized and underserved, and to contribute to a legal system that truly serves the interests of all.

 
Lori Giargias ‘27

We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for their invaluable support of our auction and public interest initiatives! Because of you, we can continue creating opportunities for students, expanding access to justice, and strengthening our commitment to serve the public good. Thank you!

Public Interest Fellowship Endowment Funds
Laurel '80 and Howard '79 Borowick Fellowship, established by Jessica Borowick, Nancy Borowick, and Matthew Borowick 
Gunther Family Summer Public Interest Fellowship, established by Robert J. Gunther, Jr. '81C, '84L  
Brittany Devin Heaney '16 Summer Fellowship, established by the Brittany Devin Heaney Foundation  
Abhay Kotwal '15 Public Service Fellowship, established by Shyam and Suman Kotwal, family, friends, and colleagues  
Hon. Guy J. Mangano Alternative Dispute Resolution Fellowship, established by Hon. Guy J. Mangano '55, '83HON 
Olive Reedy Trust Fellowship, established by Prof. John P. Clarke '55CBA, '75L, ‘24HON as a trustee of the Olive Reedy Trust  
Michael and Karen Simons Fellowship, established by Jonathan S. Sack '89 

$10,000: Platinum Sponsor
Prof. John P. Clarke '55CBA, '57L, '24HON

$6,000: Hall of Fame Sponsors (Current-Use Sponsors)
Center for Bankruptcy Studies (Center for Bankruptcy Studies Public Service Fellow) Christopher J. Byrne '21 
Eugenie M. Cesar-Fabian '04 
Dell & Dean, PLLC - Joseph G. Dell '88CBA, '91L 
Rose F. DiMartino '81  
Erica Fine ’82 BARBRI Public Interest Fellowship 
Fund for Women in the Law  
Michael H. Goldsmith ‘91 Public Interest Fellowship 
James D. Herschlein '85 Public Interest Fellowship 
Mattone Family Institute for Real Estate Law (Mattone Family Institute for Real Estate 
Law Summer Public Interest Fellow) 
Frank J. '59UC, '62L and Adeline Pannizzo Public Interest Fellowship 
Krista Miniutti '96 
New York State Bar Association (for the 2025 Catalyst Public Service Fellowship Program)

SHERocks! Challenge Donors
($3,000 matched generously by Rose F.DiMartino '81) 
Regina Beechert ’93  
Catherine Brienza '81C, '85L 
Barbara Burger ’85  
Ruth Calaman ’97  
Maryann Canfield ’92  
Maria Curran ’91  
Kaitlin Decker ’17  
Patricia Lynn Ford ’85  
Jillian Gardner ’20  
Ann M. Hurt '89MLS 
Lourdes Martinez ’92  
Pamela L. McCormack ’96  
Queenie Paniagua ’12  
The Salts Family  
Professor Emerita Margaret V. Turano ’77 

$1,500+: Opening Act Sponsors
Philip J. Rizzuto, Esq. '89CBA, '93L 
Prof. Robert Ruescher 

$500+: Backstage Pass Supporters
Ryan W. Debiase '17C, '19L
Philip A. Russotti '73
Christopher Simone '91CBA, '94L and Katherine Simone '95

$100+: Jam Session Contributors
Prof. Noa Ben-Asher  
Peter M. Carrozo '93C, '96L  
Prof. Edward D. Cavanagh  
Cynthia L. Chagollayitbarek '11  
Lori L. Dickson '91  
Denise M. Fraser '81  
Joseph J. Gherardi '26 
Laurie Gibbons '03 
Ann M. Hurt '89MLS and James V. Hurt '89G  
Prof. Louis Jim  
Keith R. King '16  
Joshua B. LaPorte  
Michelle Macwan  
Denise M. Miranda '96  
Prof. Patricia M. Montana  
MotivAction  
Christopher Newton '13 
Aaron Rathod '25  
Prof. Rosemary C. Salomone  
Prof. Eva E. Subotnik  
Prof. Jacob L. Todres  
Anthony Zaccarelli '06TCB, '07MS

Food & Beverage Sponsors
Benny's Brick Oven Kosher Pizza  
Chartwells  
Double J Deli  
Hon. Nestor H. Diaz '89 & Iris M. Diaz '21MS 
Jeanne Ardan ‘95, Associate Dean for Career Development & Externships  
Joanne Grochowski  
Lori Herz, Director of Strategic Communications, St. John's Law  
Meal Mart on Main Street  
Mojo Latin American Fusion Restaurant  
Regina's Pizzeria  
Salvatore’s Gourmet Deli  
Sheikhs N Burgers  
St. John's Law Special Events Office   
Sup Thai Kitchen 

Comments, Suggestions, or Content Ideas?
Please email Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz, Director of the Public Interest Center, at ortizorj@stjohns.edu.

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