Lezak Social Justice Fellowship

Through the Lezak Social Justice Fellowship, the insight, guidance, and encouragement that Sid Lezak provided to so many of Oregon’s greatest citizens passes to a new generation of lawyers. 

2026 Lezak Fellows

Justin Twiddy will be clerking for the Northwest Workers Justice Project this Summer. NWJP works to improve wages and working conditions and protect workplace dignity by supporting the efforts of low-wage, immigrant, and contingent workers. I will be helping attorneys draft memos, perform legal research to support on-going cases, and help clients with organization efforts in their workplace.

Natalie Darves-Bornoz will be working as a law clerk at the Oregon Department of Justice - Economic Justice Section this summer. Ms. Darves-Bornoz will be working on issues concerning consumer protection litigation, antitrust law and data privacy. This role will encompass work on matters of first impression involving emerging technologies and the harms they pose. Natalie is thrilled to support the efforts of the Department to protect Oregonians from harmful business practices through the State’s efforts to maintain fair markets that protect consumers’ interests.

Kara Long will be working as a law clerk with Youth, Rights & Justice (YRJ), a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation and advocacy for youth and families in Oregon. I will support attorneys by conducting legal research, drafting memoranda, and assisting with advocacy efforts in juvenile delinquency and dependency cases, as well as contributing to YRJ’s broader initiatives aimed at improving the systems that impact children and families.Through this experience, I will contribute to protecting the rights of vulnerable youth while developing my skills in public interest law.

Nathaly Ramos will be working as a law clerk for the Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon in the Portland Office. The Federal Public Defender provides legal representation to individuals charged with federal offenses who cannot afford an attorney. In this role, I will assist with legal research and writing, that may include motions to suppress, jury instructions, appellate briefs, and other filings, while also observing court proceedings and participating in client-related work.

Jack Flanigam will be working with the Oregon Public Defense Commission’s Appellate Division as a CLS. OPDC’s Appellate Division provides legal appellate representation to criminal, parole, and juvenile dependency cases on direct appeal to Oregon’s appellate courts. Their work involves reviewing trial records to identify legal errors and arguments to raise on appeal while providing high quality representation to people unable to afford an attorney. OPDC’s work also helps identify and address legal issues that require some variation of legal intervention or reform.

Background and Program 

Sid Lezak was one of the longest serving US Attorneys in the history of the United States, the father of alternative dispute resolution in Oregon, an activist, a community servant, and a mentor to many Oregonians. To learn more about Sid Lezak and to hear him tell his own story, we invite you to visit the Oregon Historical Society’s webpage and listen to the oral history recording or read the transcript.

The Lezak Social Justice Fellowship honors his legacy by granting summer stipends to law students to encourage them to serve the Oregon community, and by providing mentorship and guidance to these students. Typically, 4 to 6 students are selected as fellows each year. These students work in every area of public interest law - an experience made possible for many students solely due to the support that the program provides. In turn, fellows provide direct assistance to underserved clients and causes. After graduating, the vast majority of fellows remain in public interest law.

Meet our current and former fellows, mentors, and steering committee.

Students & Prospective Applicants

The Lezak Social Justice Fellowship opens in the Spring semester, with applicants typically selected by April. Learn more about applying for the Lezak Social Justice Fellowship. 

Support the Lezak Social Justice Fellowship

Your gift to the Lezak Social Justice Fellowship makes public interest possible for our students and creates access to justice. Support the fellowship.