Prestigious Gideon’s Promise Fellowship Award to Mark Balfe, ‘16

Mark Balfe, ’16, will work as a public defender at the Orleans Public Defenders in New Orleans, funded by a Texas Law Gideon’s Promise Fellowship. Texas Law is participating in the Law School Partnership Program sponsored by Gideon’s Promise, a nonprofit that works to reform indigent defense through training and support of public defenders. Through the partnership, Gideon’s Promise helped Balfe secure the position and will provide three-years of intensive training. His Texas Law fellowship will fund Balfe for one year after which he will move into a long-term position with his office.

At Texas Law, Balfe participated in the Capital Punishment Clinic, the Criminal Defense Clinic, and mock trial competitions. He also worked with a local criminal defense firm. “We are very proud that Gideon’s Promise selected Mark as a fellow in its highly competitive training program,” said Eden Harrington, director of the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, which administers the program at Texas Law. “He is well prepared for the position and we are confident he will be a fine public defender.”