Officers

2024-25 Officers

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM

Michael F. Johnson (he/him), ’25 President

Legal Interests: Environmental Law, Environmental Enforcement

I want to practice public interest law because the field plays an essential role in the struggle to ensure dignity and achieve equity for our local and national communities and for our planet. By encouraging law students to pursue public interest careers and by financially supporting students who work in public interest positions during law school, PILP works to ensure that there is never a shortage of talented and passionate advocates to fill these vital roles. I am proud to contribute to PILP’s mission in my role as President and am even prouder to do so with a group of talented and like-minded students.

 

Morgan Oberman, ’25 Vice President

Legal Interests: Environmental Law, International Law

I joined PILP two years ago because I believed that financial burdens shouldn’t prevent my fellow classmates from pursuing the meaning of work done in public interest law. Through the work of the fantastic PILP community, I saw how it was possible to encourage and support students in pursuing public interest law internships. I hope to continue our efforts to support our classmates and help relieve financial burdens through the summer stipend this upcoming year.

 

Isaac York, ’26 Treasurer

Legal Interests: Environmental Law, Wildlife Conservation

Public Interest Law intersects with many of the environmental policy areas I am interested in affecting, particularly at the local and regional levels. As PILP’s Treasurer, I hope to channel the goodwill of the Lewis and Clark community and our supporters into making a positive difference in public service and ultimately improving the quality of our collective environment. I joined PILP because we are all products of our environment to some degree. Likewise, the definition of “environment” I subscribed to is broad.

 

Maddie Diehl, ’26 Secretary & Historian

Legal interests: public defense, immigration law

The law belongs to everyone and everyone belongs in the law. I’m very excited to be returning to the PILP board to continue our work of increasing accessibility to public interest law regardless of economic barriers.

 

Serene Mistkawi (she/her) ’25 Director of Awards

Legal Interests: Criminal Defense, Post-Conviction Relief

I joined PILP because this incredible group of students is working to ensure that we are not held back by finances when considering taking these unpaid public interest jobs. As a Palestinian, state-sanctioned violence is something I find to be deeply concerning. Our current criminal punishment system uses state-sanctioned violence in the form of the carceral system as a means of dealing with many societal problems, including homelessness and addiction. Legal work fighting to change the way we address crime and punishment is more often than not underfunded and unpaid. I am immensely grateful that as a result of my PILP Award I was able to intern at the Oregon Innocence Project, a project of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, a center that is focused on ending mass incarceration. I am incredibly excited to take on the role of Director of Awards and assist my fellow students in finding ways to have positive impacts in their community.

 

 

ENGAGEMENT TEAM

 

Fernaz Mohamadi, ’26 Volunteer Coordinator

Legal Interests: Public Defense

PILP interested me because I have always been interested in pursuing some form of public interest law. The PILP award gave me the opportunity to work at the Metropolitan Public Defenders’ Office this past summer. This experience cemented my decision to pursue becoming a Public Defender and provide indigent clients with zealous legal representation. PILP helped me discover my passion for public defense, and I hope other students also find the field they love!

 

Annette Cruz, ’26 Director of Student Engagement

Legal Interests: Environmental Law, Energy Law

After dedicating my 1L year to volunteering with PILP, I knew I wanted to continue supporting the organization and its mission to help students like me pursue public interest careers. My passion for the public good, especially in environmental and energy law, motivates me to use my legal skills in the future to address pressing issues and advocate for sustainable solutions. I am excited to step into the role of Director of Student Engagement for the 2024-2025 school year and contribute to PILP’s vital work.

 

AUCTION TEAM

 

Huizhi (Jerry) Yang, ’26 Auction Co-Director

Legal Interests: Public defense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I came to law school to become a public defender to help solve the crisis here. To get this opportunity I looked for like minded individuals, which is what landed me in PILP. Fortunately, I became a test chimp for PILP’s 1Life program the year before it officially launched and I have since then wanted to help others have the same opportunity as I did. PILP as a platform for opportunity (like the one given to me) and one that funds people’s dreams is something very special and I hope to grow the organization to create the world’s next civil rights attorneys, immigration attorneys, and of course public defenders. All of that is a lie, sometimes we go out and I get free food from the PILP account.

 

Amanda Lee, ’26 Auction Assistant

Legal Interests: Labor, Employment, Civil Rights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I joined PILP because I believe your financial situation in law school should never prevent you from pursuing an internship in a field you are interested in. Thanks to PILP, I was able to work with the Oregon innocence Project this year which has been an incredible opportunity. As an Auction Assistant, I hope to give back to the project that made my internship experience possible and continue to help other students pursue public interest careers in the future.

 

SPONSORSHIP TEAM

 

Ashwin Kushwaha ’25 Sponsorship Co-Director

Legal Interests: Environmental, Natural Resources

My name is Ashwin Kushwaha and I am a 2L student here at Lewis & Clark. I joined PILP because a large part of the reason that I pursued law school was so that I could have an opportunity to make a positive difference in the world through law. I believe that PILP provides the perfect opportunity for law students to get involved with projects that make a positive difference while also providing invaluable experience and networking opportunities.

 

Isaiah Putnam ’26 Sponsorship Co-Director

Legal interests: public defense, drug law.

Public defense is my passion. I was lucky enough to clerk with Deschutes Defenders over the summer, and I could not have done the work I did without the help of the PILP stipend. PILP allows students to focus on what they want to do: help the public. I serve as Sponsorship Co-Director because the PILP auction played a critical role in my summer and I want others to have the same opportunity.

 

PROCUREMENT TEAM

 

Tarn Faith, ’26 Procurement Co-Director

Legal interests: Criminal prosecution, youth law I joined PILP last year because I believe that law should be accessible, and should serve local communities! PILP’s engagement with Portland, my home for the last 20 years, motivated me to join in and help further the goals and objectives of this organization.

 

Aidan Hall, ’26 Procurement Co-Director

Legal Interests: Immigration, Tax, Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I joined PILP because without the PILP award, I would not have been able to spend the summer working for the Immigration Legal Services wing of Catholic Charities. A key anxiety throughout my first year of school was that I would not be able to find any paid work over the summer, requiring me to spend it working somewhere outside my area of interest, and maybe outside the legal field completely. Thanks to PILP this was not an issue, and I am so grateful for that opportunity that I want to do my part to help future students have their anxiety alleviated in the same way. By working on the Procurement team I look forward to bringing in more support for PILP, thereby allowing it to help even more students than last year.

 

Jeremy Beckham, ’26 Procurement Assistant

Legal Interests: Civil rights, prisoner’s rights, animal law

Our legal infrastructure is used disproportionately for the benefit of the powerful and well-connected. I view “public interest law” as a means of trying to level the playing field, and encourage the profession to view the practice of law as a vital tool to achieve more equitable outcomes that benefit the community as a whole. I proudly serve as procurement assistant for PILP because I strongly believe in PILP’s mission to remove barriers and encourage future attorneys to consider a legal career in public interest law.

 

MARKETING TEAM

 

Jacqueline Burnard (she/her), ’26 Marketing Director

Legal Interests:  Criminal defense, Post-Conviction Relief, Juvenile Justice

I joined PILP because I have seen first-hand the immense injustice facing indigent defendants and the arduous task presented to public defenders to provide a defense for their clients in the face of formidable state-sanctioned challenges. PILP’s mission to bridge the gap in the justice system and provide students with the option to pursue public advocacy without foregoing paid positions is the reason I decided to be a part of, and support, this organization. 

 

Claire Buckley, ’26 Content Creator

Legal Interests: Environmental Law, International Law

I joined PILP because I believe in the transformative power of advancing social justice. I am proud to contribute to a project that plays such a vital role in fostering passionate advocates by allowing students to have more freedom to pursue this passion wherever feels right to them. Organizations like PILP and the people who support it are what keeps me hopeful that our pursuits of a more beautiful tomorrow are achievable.

 

Victoria Reiners, ’26 Social Media Coordinator

Legal Interests: Environmental Law, political law

I came to law school with a passion for environmental law and a desire to one day run for public office because I believe that law can be a powerful tool to protect our environment and ensure equitable outcomes for all. Public interest law plays a crucial role in advocating for the underserved and for our planet, and it aligns closely with my long-term goals. I joined the Public Interest Law Project (PILP) because I believe that financial constraints should never stand in the way of law students pursuing meaningful work in public interest law.

 

1LIFE / COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM

 

Matthew Bratek, ’26 Co-Community Outreach Coordinator

Legal Interests: Immigration, Family Law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I joined PILP because I believe there is a great need for advocacy for historically underserved populations. PILP helps fund the dreams of budding advocates and provides them with opportunities for gaining crucial experience in working directly with the community. Without PILP, I would not have been able to afford my summer position at Metropolitan Public Defender where I worked with their Immigrant Defense Oregon team to provide both limited and full-scope immigration representation to low-income immigrants. Life is too short to not use the limited time we have on this planet to make sure that the impact we leave behind is a positive one. Part of making that positive impact means, when able, giving back to the communities around you.

 

Christian Larson, ’26 Co-Community Outreach Coordinator

Legal Interests: Public defense, Collateral consequences

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I joined PILP because of all the amazing opportunities I’ve been given through the organization! I was able to intern with the Community Law Division of the Metropolitan Public Defender starting from my third week of law school and gained so much mentorship and confidence through this experience with PILP. This year, I am taking on the role of Co-Community Outreach Coordinator so that I can pay this experience forward and help our 1L students grow right from the get-go.

 

1L POD REPRESENTATIVES

 

Will be updated soon! 

Join the Team!

Please email pilp@lclark.edu with questions on how to join!