2021 Peggy Browning Fellows

2021 Peggy Browning Summer Fellows Nicole Steinberg JD’23 University of Texas School of Law Austin, TX Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Washington, DC Nicole became interested in workers’ rights through her position at a workforce development agency. As a case manager in the refugee services department, she helped clients with refugee and asylum status obtain employment. In addition, she worked as clinic coordinator at a volunteer-run immigration clinic to help asylum seekers gain status. Her experience working with immigrants exposed her to different kinds of workplace issues and taught her the importance of organizing on behalf of all workers. James Stehlin JD’23 University of Michigan School of Law Ann Arbor, MI New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Latham, NY Growing up in a working-class family in Michigan, Jim benefitted from the economic opportunities that unionized workers in his family and community had won through decades of struggle for higher wages, pensions, and workplace safety. He then witnessed how the Great Recession, austerity, and right-to-work laws devastated working people. After college, Jim spent two years working at the Delaware Office of Defense Services as a client advocate. In this role, he worked directly with indigent clients and their attorneys to develop a holistic defense practice within the public defender’s office. There, Jim developed a deeper understanding of the relationships between economic injustice, systemic racism, and mass incarceration. Camille Sanchez JD’22 St. John’s University School of Law Queens, NY National Employment Law Project (NELP) Washington, DC As a first generation American, Camille was always aware of the socio-economic issues facedby immigrants in her community. Her personal experience, as well as her professional experience as a paralegal doing humanitarian immigration work, gave her a greater awareness of the need for employment advocacy for vulnerable communities. During law school, Camille was exposed to several labor and employment attorneys who ignited her passion for labor law. She believes that despite the light shed on unfair work practices during the pandemic, it is crucial that attorneys help create policies and practices that protect workers, because the issues workers face are not temporary. She hopes to use this wonderful opportunity to become a zealous advocate for worker’s rights. Tess Shelton JD’22 University of Memphis School of Law Memphis, TN Joel F. Dillard, PA Jackson, MI Tess’s mother, a Tennessee Education Association representative, impressed the importance of unions upon her from an early age. As a result, Tess joined United Campus Workers (UCW) while an undergraduate at Middle Tennessee State University. Her experiences advocating for workers’ rights and enjoying the camaraderie of her union siblings inspired her to pursue a career as a labor lawyer. As a law student, Tess remains active in UCW and volunteers with Memphis Area Legal Services. She serves as a student representative on the National Lawyers Guild Labor and Employment Steering Committee and competes in the Wagner National Labor and Employment Moot Court Competition.