Meet our Summer 2023 Interns and Volunteers
Interns and volunteers make GCLC’s work possible. This summer, we are grateful to welcome over 20 interns and Fellows who are assisting with a range of our practice areas. Meet five of them below.
Jennifer Russell
Summer and upcoming Fall 2023 intern with the Environmental and Energy Law program
Current 3L at Chicago-Kent, pursuing an emphasis in Environmental and Energy Law
“I am interested in opportunities to be an advocate in the community, protect health and wellness, be a steward of the land, and learn more about social and environmental issues in our country. Through my internship at GCLC, I was able to do all of these things, and it was exciting to get out of the classroom and get involved.
GCLC values social and environmental issues and works to give a voice to disadvantaged communities, which aligns perfectly with my career interests. I have enjoyed taking classes with Professor [Keith] Harley and was excited for the opportunity to get involved with local issues and be an advocate for the community. “
Riley Mullen
Criminal Records Program Intern and rising 2L at Chicago-Kent College of Law
“GCLC’s mission of providing legal assistance to underserved populations in Chicago aligns with my professional goal of service to others. I am privileged enough to attend law school, and I firmly believe that I have a duty to pay it forward. GCLC is doing great work not only with criminal record relief, but also in other areas like immigration and housing. It is an honor to be able to contribute to an organization that is so focused on serving others.
Before doing this internship, I had a narrower view of criminal law no idea that this section even existed. GCLC’s Criminal Record Program expanded my understanding of the criminal law field. Participating in this internship has deepened my desire to practice in criminal law and has provided valuable insight into the criminal justice system here in Cook County.”
Annamarie Clobuciar
Environmental and Energy Law Legal Intern and law student at Chicago-Kent College of Law
“My goal once I graduate and pass the Bar is to put animal law on the map, starting in Chicago and ending on a global scale. Environmental and energy law are intertwined with animal law because both start with bringing awareness to life outside of humanity. However, before interspecies awareness can happen, underserved, and overlooked communities need to be put in the spotlight. The work I have done so far as a legal intern has brought a large corporation to understand the disparities regarding its service in minority and lower income areas compared to wealthier areas. Having the opportunity to help communities make a corporation see its customers as people rather than income has been very important for me. The same concept applies to making people realize animals are sentient beings with feelings and personalities. Environmental and energy law also acts as an overarching construct for animal law because any change in the environment has a ripple effect on humans, animals, and plants.”
Stephen Junge
Summer 2023 legal intern with the Environmental Law Clinic at Chicago-Kent College of Law
“As my first exposure to environmental law, I gained experience with some other legal fields environmental law overlaps with: namely, property law and administrative law. I also was able to gain an understanding of some of the nuances of practicing environmental law in a metropolitan setting like Chicago. Additionally, there was definitely a sense of the sort of challenges public interest clients face while seeking justice with regards to remediation of environmental hazard areas. My clinic supervisor [Keith Harley] was able to offer compelling insights about environmental law situations that require engaging governmental entities in a variety of ways, both local and federal.”
Maggie Miltko
Immigration Legal Intern and law student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
“By far my favorite part of working here this summer is getting to work directly with GCLC’s clients. Meeting with clients has not only improved my interpersonal skills but has also given me important perspective on working in the legal field. Law school is very theoretical about the law but sitting with real people trying to navigate the US immigration system is an instant reminder that being a lawyer is being a member of the service industry, not just an academic discipline.”