Congratulations, Othmer Award and APIL Fellowship Recipients!
August 14, 2024
Congratulations, Othmer Award and APIL Fellowship Recipients!
The Association for Public Interest Law (“APIL”) celebrates the recipient of the 2024 Othmer Award, as well as the recipients of four summer fellowships which were funded by generous contributions from Singleton Schreiber, LLP and Brian Colón, Managing Partner-NM, Equal Access to Justice, Inc., Feliz Rael, and other anonymous donors.
Matthew Mallary received the Othmer Award, which had funded his summer experience with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.
“In law school I has been on the dean's list, became a Marshall Brenan fellow, participated in the Clinical Law in Practice program, and been a member of the mock trial team. This summer, I plan to work with the United States Attorney's Office over the summer in their externship program. After graduating Matthew plans to remain in New Mexico working in the Public Interest section of law.
Matthew hopes his presence in the public interests will allow him to help the drug courts in New Mexico, grow as an advocate, and continue to combat the epidemic that has affected the community. A cause near and dear to his heart.”
Matthew and APIL thank Sheila Brown and the Public Law Section of the State Bar for their continuing support of this important award.
Marco Alarid White received an APIL Fellowship to fund his summer experiences with Disability Rights New Mexico.
“This summer I had the opportunity to work with Disability Rights New Mexico in Albuquerque. I was able to assist in litigation that helps disabled individuals access the care to which they are entitled. I assisted with monitoring visits to inpatient and detention facilities to protect the rights of patients. This summer I gained valuable experience advocating for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. I am so grateful that I was able to work with such a great organization and I deeply appreciate the grant that allowed me to spend my summer engaged in public interest work.”
Marco and APIL thank Feliz Rael for her generous gift and continuing support of this important award.
Alicia Ulibarri received an APIL Fellowship to fund her summer experiences with Southwest Women’s Law Center.
“Thank you kindly for the opportunity to work with Southwest Women’s Law Center, an organization that provides free legal services to Native women experiencing domestic violence and/or intimate partner violence. I have learned so much and have gained an even greater appreciation for public interest organizations and the enormous benefit they have to the community. I am so proud and grateful to be a part of an organization that is deeply dedicated to the rights and well-being of women and girls in New Mexico. Thanks to the support, this summer I was able to focus more on my work with the organization and less on financial burdens. This opportunity has allowed me to dedicate my time to research and community involvement and has allowed me to acquire the skills to create a safety plan, file temporary domestic orders, obtain protective orders, initiate child custody, obtain child support, help clients access quality affordable healthcare, conduct conference calls, and complete intakes.”
Alicia and APIL thank Heather Norfleet and the entire Board of Equal Access to Justice, Inc. for their generous gift, which funded this new award.
Audriana Martinez received an APIL Fellowship to fund her summer experiences with the Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLÉ).
“This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLÉ), where I am part of the immigration team, assisting individuals on their journeys to citizenship and legal permanent residency.
At OLÉ, my role involved reviewing applications for citizenship and adjustments of status, conducting potential client screenings, and assembling applications for submission to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This work was both challenging and rewarding, giving me invaluable hands-on experience in the field of immigration law. I am fortunate to be shadowing and assisting Attorney Horatio Moreno Campos, whose guidance and mentorship are helping me develop a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in immigration legal work.”
Audriana and APIL thank Singleton Schreiber, LLP and Brian Colón, Managing Partner-NM and an anonymous donor for their generous gifts and continuing support of this important award.
C.K. Ellwood received an APIL Fellowship to fund her summer experiences with both the U.S. EPA Region 2 Superfund Office of General Counsel and the U.S. Department of the Interior - Rocky Mountain Field Office of the Solicitor
“This summer, I had the opportunity to split my time between a remote internship with the U.S. DOI-Rocky Mountain Region Field Office of the Solicitor in Billings, Montana, and an in-person internship with the U.S. EPA-Region 2 Superfund Office of General Counsel in Manhattan, New York. My projects ranged from inter-agency and Tribal government consultation to title reviews of federal land use, and from advising on superfund site cleanup plans to physically visiting sites for implementation meetings with involved parties. Through this work, I discovered meaningful careers that don't require following the traditional path of an acting attorney to use a Juris Doctor for the betterment of underserved communities. The mentorship and exposure I received in these positions was invaluable – none of this would have been possible without substantial financial support from fellowship donors. I am excited to pay it all forward someday!”
C.K. and APIL thank Singleton Schreiber, LLP and Brian Colón, Managing Partner-NM and an anonymous donor for their generous gifts and continuing support of this important award.
