Lovina (She, Her, Hers) is an MSW graduate from Columbia’s School of Social Work. She was born and raised in New York City. She chose social work due to the various social workers who were part of her childhood and failed her. She was previously a care manager working with adults over 50 who are…
Annie (She/Her/Hers) comes to the Bronx Defenders from Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, where she represented non-citizens in removal proceedings and before USCIS. At NDS, she also provided immigration consults to criminal defense attorneys. Prior to NDS, she advocated for reproductive rights in a fellowship at the ACLU. She is a graduate of NYU School of…
Jeremiah Reeder (he, him, his) was born and raised in The Bronx. He graduated from Roosevelt High School and went on to attend Queens College. This is where he began studying to become a nurse. He has always had a nature in helping others, which has placed him on a promising journey and ultimately guided him…
Marlena Santos (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern Public Interest Scholar. At NYU, Marlena participated in two year-long clinics: the Family Defense Clinic and the Juvenile Defender Clinic. In addition, she was a Casebook Research and Writing Editor with the NYU Moot Court Board. Marlena…
Allison Goodman (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law, where she spent her second year at The East Bay Community Law Center’s Housing Clinic defending tenants against eviction actions. While in law school, Allie led and participated in the Community Restorative Justice Project, Law Students for Justice in Palestine and The National Lawyers…
Rebecca Suldan (she/her/hers) graduated cum laude from New York University School of Law. At NYU, Rebecca spent two years in the Immigrant Rights Clinic and represented clients in their removal proceedings. During her summers, she interned at BxD’s Family Defense Practice and the NYC Commission on Human Rights. Rebecca was a Colloquium Editor for the…
Shennia Laurence (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law, where she participated in the American/Caribbean Law externship, served as a student attorney on Gulfport Legal Services’ Immigration Clinic and served as the Vice President of the Stetson Chapter of Dream Defenders. While in law school, Shennia interned in the Legal Aid Society, where she represented indigent…
Angelica Cancel (she/her/hers) graduated magna cum laude from Pace University. While in law school, Angelica participated in the Immigration Justice Clinic where she represented clients in immigration and family court. Throughout law school, Angelica participated in moot and trial teams and served as the Advocacy Honor Board’s Executive Director. She also worked as a judicial…
Cassandra Lopez (She, hers) was born and raised in the Bronx Community, where she gained a passion for law and social justice. Cassandra received her bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a concentration in Law. While at John Jay, she was a paralegal at a personal injury law firm….
Before coming to The Bronx Defenders, Agnes worked as an Accounting Supervisor and Legal Secretary at Rogers, Wughalter & Kaufman and a Financial Associate at Citibank. Agnes is currently working toward her degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from St. John’s University. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Molly (she/her/hers) graduated summa cum laude from Barnard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Her thesis, which earned departmental honors and an academic award, focused on the role of bald-faced lies in totalitarian regimes. While at Barnard, she interned at The Forensic Justice Project, where she worked on impact litigation and policy initiatives…
Shanice Bryant (she/her/hers) received her Masters of Social Worker from New York University. As a social worker, she is committed to dismantling oppressive systems and restoring strength in those who have been dehumanized. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and holds a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from Clark Atlanta University.
Ashley Gonzalez (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from The City University of New York School of Law where she was a Sorensen Fellow and a Pro Bono Scholar. While in law school, she participated in the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic and interned with The New York Civil Liberties Union where she challenged city agencies to…
Daniel Peña (he/him/his) earned his J.D. from the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law where he was a Sorensen Center for International Peace and Justice Fellow and recipient of the South Asian Bar Association of New York’s Public Interest Fellowship and the Latin American Law Students Association Honorable Diccia T. Pineda-Kirwan Fellowship. While in…
Emily (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law where she was a Graduate Fellow, participated in the Defenders clinic and interned with the Capital Habeas Unit at the Federal Defenders of Philadelphia, the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem’s Family Defense Practice, the Brooklyn Defenders’ Family Defense Practice,…
Joe Giacona (he/him/his) received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and is committed to alleviating poverty by helping people secure housing and benefits. Prior to law school, Joe worked in the service industry, in an art gallery and as a bicycle messenger. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from The New School University.
Asher (he/him/his) received his J.D. with high honors and Order of the Coif from George Washington University Law School, where he was a student attorney at the Jacob Burns Prisoner & Re-entry Clinic, Managing Editor of the George Washington Journal of Environmental and Energy Law, and a founding member of the George Washington People’s Parity…
Ashley Alan Taylor (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. During law school, she participated in the Challenging the Consequences of Mass Incarceration Clinic and Capital Post-Conviction Defense Practicum as well as externships at The Bronx Defenders and The Center for Appellate Litigation. She…
Barbara Frasier (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. While in law school, Barbara interned with the Criminal Defense and Advocacy Clinic to help domestic violence survivors that were charged with homicide apply for re-sentencing under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act. During her 2L summer, Barbara participated in the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor…
Brooke Edwards (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from Stanford Law School where she participated in the Youth and Education Law Project representing children and families in special education proceedings. While in law school, Brooke was involved on the boards of the Black Law Students Association, Women of Color Collective, and the Youth and Education Advocates. During…
Daniel Kim (he/him/his) graduated from the New York University School of Law. During law school, Dan was a student advocate in the Immigrant Rights Clinic for two years, co-president of the Unemployment Action Center and a public interest co-chair in the Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association. He spent his summer internships with the Queens Defenders…
Desseray Wright (she/her/hers) is a parent who’s been directly affected by the family regulation system and has since dedicated herself to abolishing it. She graduated from Hostos Community College at the top of her class earning her Associate’s in Criminal Justice. Before joining The Bronx Defenders, she earned a fellowship with the National Council for…
Eli Salamon-Abrams (he/him/his) graduated cum laude from Fordham Law School, where he was a Stein Scholar and received the Ann Moynihan award for clinical work. He participated in Fordham’s Criminal Defense Clinic, representing individuals charged with misdemeanors in Manhattan and an incarcerated individual appealing a parole denial. While in law school, Eli interned with the…
Ella Nalepka (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from CUNY School of Law. While at CUNY, she was a student attorney with the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) clinic, where she worked with individuals targeted by the surveillance state under the guise of national security. During law school, Ella also had the opportunity to intern…
Grace Powell (she/her/hers) earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. During her 1L and 2L summers, Grace interned at the Federal Defenders in the Southern District of New York and at the Bronx Defenders. After law school, she clerked for two years for United States District Court Judge Stefan Underhill in…