Two Northeastern Law Students Awarded Prestigious Skadden Fellowships
03.06.25 —Two Northeastern Law students have been awarded two-year Skadden Fellowships, among the most competitive and prestigious awards for law students pursuing careers in public interest law. Upon graduation, Anthony Black ’25 and Jamie Sgarro ’25 will join nonprofit organizations representing those with limited access to legal resources.
Black will spend their fellowship at Southern Legal Counsel in Florida, working within a medical-legal partnership to improve health and economic outcomes for low-income adult transgender and gender-diverse patients. Their focus will be on expanding existing legal services that address health-harming legal needs across areas of identity documents and legal affirmation, health care access and public benefits for transgender adults in the State of Florida.
“I’m excited to learn under such a wonderful team at Southern Legal Counsel, where I’m currently completing my last co-op,” said Black, who is also the recipient of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association’s 2025 Alexander Gray Memorial Scholarship. “I came to law school unsure of how exactly I would pursue this path, but through all of the mentorship and growth over these three years, I’m ready to go back to my home state and leverage my legal education for my community.”
Sgarro will spend his fellowship at the ACLU of Missouri, in St. Louis, where he will focus on enforcing, strengthening and expanding existing state and federal legal protections for low-income transgender Missourians. His work will include strategic impact litigation, legislative advocacy and community education. A student in Northeastern Law's FlexJD program, Sgarro is co-founder and inaugural executive director of InReach, a trans-led tech nonprofit building the world's first open source verified LGBTQ+ resource platform. After a decade of leadership, he will step down from his role in May to prepare for the bar and his upcoming fellowship.
“I am grateful to the Skadden Foundation and ACLU of Missouri for investing in trans justice at such a pivotal moment for our country,” said Sgarro. “My experiences have taught me that trans attorneys fighting for trans justice are most needed in states like Missouri, where hostile legislation is prevalent and representation is limited. As a trans man, it is an honor to use my law degree to help more trans people live freely.”
“We are honored that the Skadden Foundation has chosen to support both Jamie and Anthony’s vital work with the ACLU of Missouri and Southern Legal Counsel, respectively. As passionate and committed advocates, Jamie and Anthony exemplify the values of social justice and public service that Northeastern students are known for, and we are proud to see them recognized for their important work,” said Jocie Coletti, director of public interest and government in Northeastern Law’s Center for Co-op and Career Development.
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. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,100 employers in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.
For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu.