Kirkland Selects 2023-2024 New York City Public Interest Fellows

Kirkland is thrilled to announce the selection of Hailey Cunningham and Laura McFeely as its 2023-2024 Kirkland & Ellis New York City Public Interest Fellows. These candidates demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and a deep commitment to pursuing public interest work in New York City.

Hailey, who is graduating from NYU School of Law, will work with Manhattan Legal Services to advance the rights of youth whose intersectional identities (low-income, BIPOC and disabled) and unmet educational and behavioral needs often lead to absenteeism and school refusal. Her work will include ensuring that these students receive appropriate mental health and special education services.

Laura, who is graduating from Columbia Law School, will join the Center for Appellate Litigation to provide client-centered advocacy on behalf of indigent New Yorkers and represent them in direct criminal appeals.

Every year since 1995, Kirkland has funded at least one graduating student from each NYU School of Law and Columbia Law School to pursue a yearlong public interest project that principally and directly benefits residents of the city’s five boroughs. Fellows may create and fill a new position within an already-existing organization or pursue an independent project affiliated with a sponsoring organization.

Kirkland partner Shanti Sadtler Conway coordinates the Fellowship. Each year, Fellows are selected by a panel that includes a Kirkland partner and client, a sitting New York City judge, a public interest attorney, and the current Fellow from NYU or Columbia. The panel this year was headed by Kirkland partner Katrina Rowe.