Four Touro Law Students Named Catalyst Public Service Fellows

June 16, 2020

Four Touro Law Center students have been awarded prestigious Catalyst Public Service Fellowships. Conor Byrnes and Ramon Cabrera are working with the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Cindy Chau is working with the Juvenile Rights Practice of The Legal Aid Society, and Daniel Parise is working with the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County.
 

Touro Law Dean Elena B. Langan stated, “The Touro community is proud of these students. I am confident they will make a worthwhile contribution while serving as outstanding ambassadors for our law school. I know they are committed to making a difference and am pleased they have been chosen for these prestigious awards.

The Catalyst Public Service Fellowship Program was created in 2016 through the donation of surplus campaign funds from the Janet DiFiore for District Attorney Committee before Janet DiFiore became the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. The fellowships provide funding to encourage outstanding law students to take public interest and public service legal jobs that would otherwise be unpaid. The Program’s funds are administered by The New York Bar Foundation. 

Some details about the fellows:

Conor Byrnes has always had an interest in criminal justice and plans to pursue a career as a prosecutor. He says his interest stems from his desire to help others in his community and ensuring the community is safe, adding, “I believe this is a central role of a prosecutor. A prosecutor does not represent a private client, but rather the community as a whole and has the community’s best interest at the forefront.” Conor is excited to be working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EDNY and assisting with some of the complex cases the office handles.

Ramon Cabrera is focusing his efforts on becoming a prosecutor, specializing in immigration law in order to serve the immigrant community of Suffolk County. He is looking forward to a summer internship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EDNY where he worked last semester. He was able to observe federal court proceedings, attend meetings and interoffice strategy meetings, and draft documents. He says, “With the support of this fellowship, I will be able to focus solely on my internship experience. I want to learn as much as possible so I can graduate from law school ready to make a meaningful difference in my community.”  

Cindy Chau is motivated to become a lawyer who can help families and non-English speaking individuals overcome the challenges they face within the justice system. She has held several internships and externships to gain experience throughout law school but is particularly excited to have secured a summer internship at The Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice, working on child welfare proceedings. She says, “I am thrilled to be able to expand my knowledge of child welfare and juvenile delinquency cases. And, I would not have been able to accept this opportunity if not for this fellowship.”

Daniel Parise believes everyone deserves equal care regardless of financial status. He is looking forward to working with Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County and is impressed with their holistic approach to providing legal assistance to community members in need. He says, “I believe I have the potential to deliver valuable insight and I am looking forward to helping provide legal assistance to underrepresented clients.”

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Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law is located adjacent to both a state and a federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. Touro Law’s proximity to the courthouses, coupled with programming developed to integrate the courtroom into the classroom, provide a one-of-a kind learning experience for law students, combining a rigorous curriculum taught by expert faculty with a practical courtroom experience. Touro Law is dedicated to providing hands-on learning that enables students to gain experience while offering much-needed legal services in the community.

Touro Law, which has an alumni base of more than 6,500, offers full- and part-time JD programs where students can earn a degree in 2, 3 or 4 years and provides four areas of concentration Additionally, Touro offers a hybrid, four-year FlexTime JD Program combining online and on campus learning. Touro Law offers several dual degree programs and graduate law programs for US and foreign law graduates. Touro Law Center is part of the Touro College system.

About the Touro College and University System

Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 18,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has 34 campuses and locations in New York, California, Nevada, Berlin, Jerusalem and Moscow. New York Medical College; Touro University California and Touro University Nevada; Touro University Worldwide and its Touro College Los Angeles division; as well as Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Ill. are separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, please go to: www.touro.edu/news


For more info contact:
Patti Desrochers
Director of Communications
pattid@tourolaw.ed 
(631) 761-7062

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