11.25.20 — Three Northeastern Law students have been awarded two-year Skadden Fellowships, among the most prestigious awards for law students pursuing careers in public interest law. Upon graduation, Oriana Farnham ’21, Moriah Wilkins ’21 and Erin Stewart ’21 will join nonprofit organizations representing those with limited access to legal resources.
Farnham will spend her Skadden Fellowship at Maine Equal Justice in Augusta, Maine, where she completed a co-op in 2019. There, she will advocate for low-income parents who face obstacles to obtaining meaningful employment and long-term economic stability due to what she describes as “the rigid and punitive policies of Maine’s welfare programs.” Before law school, Farnham advocated for low-income Mainers as a paralegal at Pine Tree Legal Assistance.
Wilkins will spend her two-year appointment at the Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she will utilize direct representation, zoning advocacy and community-based initiatives such as community benefits agreements to address housing inequality and racial injustice in Charlottesville and the surrounding county. Prior to law school, Wilkins was a paralegal at the US Department of Justice, supporting investigations into white collar and securities fraud.
Stewart will spend her Skadden Fellowship at Citizens for Juvenile Justice in Massachusetts, where she completed a co-op in 2019. She will represent and advocate for indigent youth facing school-discipline and school-based arrest issues. Her project aims to support these families through legislative advocacy, community building and direct service. Before law school, Stewart spent three years working as an academic mentor in a low-income middle school in South Seattle.
“Moriah, Erin and Oriana are incredibly talented students who are committed to advocating for underserved communities they are deeply connected to, and we are thrilled that the Skadden Foundation chose to support their important work,” said Director for Public Interest and Government Renay Frankel ’06.
About Northeastern University School of Law
The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country and is a national leader in legal education reform. Founded with cooperative legal education as the cornerstone of its program, Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences. All students participate in full-time legal placements, and can choose from the more than 1,500 employers worldwide participating in the school’s signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experience to successfully practice law.
For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu.