By far one of the greatest ways USF Public Interest Law Foundation helps to make an impact in our community is by providing grants to USF Law students who choose to pursue unpaid summer legal work. This past summer, 25 remarkable students were selected to each receive grants of $4,000.We are proud to offer these grants through the generous donations we receive throughout the year as well as through several fundraising events sponsored by USF and PILF.
Our largest fundraising opportunity is the Annual PILF Gala and Auction. This year’s Gala and Auction takes place on November 4th. As the Auction draws nearer, we want to take a moment to introduce our most recent 2011 Summer Grantees in the Q&A’s below.
Maya Grey Opens Up About Her Summer At Legal Aid of Marin
Maya Grey is originally from Layfette, California in the East Bay. She attended UCLA as an undergraduate. This past summer she worked at Legal Aid of Marin.
Why did you choose law school, and why USF in particular?
I believe that the law is one equalizing factor for those in poverty and so wanted to gain the skills necessary to help enact social justice on a wider scale. I decided to go to USF because it has so many clinics and is committed to positive social change.
What kind of work did you do this summer or what type of projects did you work on?
I helped low-income and elderly people obtain legal advice, representation, and other community assistance. I did intakes with clients, wrote demand letters, assisted in judicial proceedings, and performed other work that will help our clients achieve the solution to their problems.
What do you find most inspiring about the work you are doing or the organization you are working for?
I loved meeting with community members and seeing the direct positive impact our work can have on their lives. I think it’s inspiring that Legal Aid of Marin is committed to trying to improve the social and legal affairs of Marin’s neediest residents.
Are you interested in public interest legal work as a career? What sort of law would you like to practice?
I am still not sure what I want to do after I finish law school but I know that I want to work in the public interest sphere in some respect. Whether it’s as a child advocacy lawyer, a legal aid worker, or an associate at a plaintiff’s firm, I see myself helping the community through public interest work.
