Brennan Center Summer Legal Internship

This summer I had the opportunity to work as a legal intern for the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, where I met some incredible lawyers, law students, researchers, and policy advocates dedicated to reforming our nation’s democracy and system of justice. Working with Ames Grawert, I spent the first half of the summer developing legal arguments to challenge the Trump administration’s decision to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding from states and municipalities as part of the Brennan Center’s Constitutional Crisis Litigation Project. The experience allowed me to dive into complex issues of administrative and constitutional law, and to study the real-world policy implications of the administration’s actions.

During the second half of the summer, I had the chance to assist Hernandez Stroud and Ames Grawert in highlighting the successes of New York’s Clean Slate Act, legislation that automatically seals criminal records and allows justice-impacted individuals to access employment opportunities and other public programs after completing their sentences. I am excited to see that the Brennan Center is expanding this work to the south as well, where various Clean Slate initiatives have already begun.

Lastly, I drafted a memo discussing a lawsuit filed by 21 former federal death row inmates challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to house them in “monstrous” conditions of confinement following their sentence commutations by former President Biden. The memo provided an overview of the legal regime governing federal inmate custody designation and redesignation decisions, an analysis of the plaintiffs’ legal claims, and a review of the Trump DOJ’s attempts to misuse conditions of confinement for political retribution.

I’d like to thank Brianna Seid, Ames Grawert, Hernandez Stroud, and the entire Justice Program for the support and mentorship this summer! I learned so much from our incredible team and I look forward to continuing this work throughout my career.