Temple Law Duffy Fellows to Again Take Public Interest Roles for Summer of 24

June 24, 2024

Tom Duffy wishes the Duffy Fellows a productive and happy summer. 

(Philadelphia) The Duffy Firm is proud to announce where its Fellows from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law will work for the summer of 2024. Following its celebrated debut in 2023, the program underwrites the salaries for 10 law students to work in various public interest roles in the greater Philadelphia region. 

To be selected to the program, students in their third or fourth year apply to the law school, choosing an organization that meets an acute community need and sharing their vision for a legal project that furthers the organization’s mission. Temple’s Public Interest Faculty Committee reviews the applications, giving preference to those students with demonstrated financial need and an intention to pursue a career in the public interest.

“Through the Duffy Fellowship, we are able to help tens of thousands of people each year through the work of attorneys at some of the area's foremost legal service nonprofit organizations,” said Tom Duffy, founder of The Duffy Firm. 

"We ended up with dozens of exceptionally strong applications for the fellowship spots," said Jim Walsh, Assistant Dean, Office of Career Services, Temple University Beasley School of Law. "This demand highlights the importance and impact of Tom Duffy’s generosity."

The students were eager for advice from the legendary litigator. 

The Temple University Duffy Fellows and their internship hosts are as follows:

  1. Carlene Buccino, Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland
  2. Dara Chase, City of Philadelphia Law Department
  3. Cierra Eckenrode, Delaware County District Attorney's Office
  4. CJ Holmes, Defender Association of Philadelphia
  5. Genevieve Lamont, ACLU of Pennsylvania
  6. Jacqueline McCann, Philadelphia Legal Assistance
  7. Patricia Paulino, Community Legal Services
  8. Drew Perkoski, Mobilization for Justice
  9. Julia Rankin, Maryland Office of Public Defense
  10. Malgorzata Witalis, City of Philadelphia Law Department

Tom Duffy first established the Duffy Fellowship at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled in 2012 to assist in the agency’s mission by funding the salary of one staff attorney. He later added a second fellow at LCD in 2017. Over the years, he has expanded the program to place Duffy Fellows at Community Legal Services and the Homeless Advocacy Project.

Learn more at duffyfirm.com.