2021 Peggy Browning Fellows

2021 Peggy Browning Summer Fellows Olivia Mendes JD’22 Seton Hall University School of Law Newark, NJ O’Donoghue & O’Donoghue LLP Washington, DC Listening to her mother, an elementary school teacher, share stories about her union’s contract negotiations sparked Olivia’s interest in labor law. This interest grew while working as a paralegal at a business immigration law firm for two years before law school. During the summer of 2020, Olivia worked as an intern with Region 22 of the National Labor Relations Board, and she served as a law clerk with a union-side law firm during the spring of 2021. Olivia is excited to continue growing and learning in this field and is excited to dedicate her career to helping put power in the hands of workers.  Mac McMechan JD’22 New York University School of Law New York, NY Levy Ratner, PC New York, NY Macworkedinvariousfoodandbeverageestablishments in New Orleans, Taos, and Indianapolis for most of the last decade. In each city, they encountered coworkers whose lives detrimentally challenged different parts of the US legal and labor systems. When spinal cord damage that affected their left leg, prevented them from continuing in hospitality, Mac came to law school with the goal to become a legal advocate for hourly- wage workers. Mac interned at the Transgender Law Center last summer and is involved in student advocacy at their school with the Disability Allied Law Students Association and Law Students for Economic Justice. Mac is particularly excited about learning and working at the intersection of labor and tax law. Donald “Max” McCullough III JD’23 New York University School of Law New York, NY New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) New York, NY A third-generation unionist and the son of a firefighter and an artist, Max grew up in Florida before moving to the Northeast. He taught history at a charter high school in Boston for seven years and experienced firsthand the depredations of school privatization and corporatization. Deeply committed to public education and workers’ rights, Max organized with his fellow educationworkers to fight against lowpayandhighstaff turnover, administrative and financial mismanagement, and the degradation of students’ learning conditions. Three years later, this organizing resulted in the first union contract at a Boston charter school. Max relished his role as advisor and mentor to students and student-teachers. He hopes to continue working with educators and communities to build and preserve the joyful and nurturing schools all students deserve. Gianna McDevitt JD’22 Rutgers Law School Camden, NJ Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 19 Philadelphia, PA Gianna grew up in a union family and the issue of workers’ rights is a personal one. She has worked for years in the restaurant industry where she has both witnessed and experienced routine exploitive labor practices. Juxtaposing the security and stability the union provided her own family with the vulnerability that many restaurant workers face, she was inspired to pursue a career in labor law based on a belief that all people deserve to work for fair wages with dignity and respect. A South Philadelphia native, Gianna is especially excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with and serve the members of Local No. 19.