Two UT Law Students Receive Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships

Two students at the University of Texas School of Law have been selected to receive Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships for the coming summer. The program will provide each fellow with a $4,250 stipend to work fulltime for at least 10 weeks providing legal services to underrepresented individuals or communities.

The fellowships are made possible by a generous gift from the Baron & Budd law firm, which also supports the school-year Baron & Budd Public Interest Scholarship Program. Both programs are administered by the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law at the Law School. “The Law School appreciates Baron & Budd’s generosity and vision in creating this fellowship program,” said Eden Harrington, director of the Justice Center. “Our students will spend their summers honing their legal knowledge and skills, and helping individuals and communities in need. The opportunities created by Baron & Budd are critical to our students’ development, and we are very grateful for the firm’s support.”

The following students will receive Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships:

Karly Jo Dixon, ’16, will work with the Texas Fair Defense Project in Austin helping to research and draft amicus briefs and assisting with community education.

Leonel Ruiz, ’16, will work with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in San Antonio assisting with education and employment rights litigation and policy projects.

About Baron & Budd: Baron & Budd PC is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the country representing people exposed to toxic substances in their work and living environments. The firm established the Baron & Budd Public Interest Scholarships and Summer Fellowships at the Law School to support students engaged in pro bono and public interest work.

About the Justice Center: The Justice Center is dedicated to promoting equal justice for all through legal education. The Justice Center works toward this goal by educating students, faculty, and attorneys about public interest legal issues; teaching students about the need to increase access to justice; creating pro bono opportunities for the law school community; providing support to students and graduates engaged in public service; and conducting research into legal issues affecting underserved individuals and communities.