'22 Veterans Rights Fellows Reflect on Summer Placements
Three Albany Law School students have been spending their summers working in various capacities to assist veterans, their families, and the services available to them.
Through Albany Law School's Veterans Rights Summer Fellowship, the students were able to pursue opportunities related to helping veterans, current service members, and their families access benefits, serve as their advocate, and
The fellowship is part of the $200,000 “Justice For Heroes” grant from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services meant to provide funding to New York law schools offering collaborative programs to help veterans, service members, and their families. The grant was renewed this year and has provided crucial aid to Albany Law School since 2020.
The funding will continue to support workshops, referrals, and services to the community through Veteran’s Law Day, the student-led Veterans' Rights Pro Bono Project, and collaboration with organizations such as the Albany Stratton VA Hospital, in addition to supporting the summer fellowship program. The grant supports a stipend for the student’s summer work, which allows them to take otherwise unpaid positions at agencies focused on veteran assistance.
“Albany Law School is thrilled to continue to partner with the State of New York through the Justice for Heroes grant program. Through this funding, Albany Law School students, alums, faculty, and volunteer attorneys will continue to serve veterans, active-duty service members, and their families in the Capital Region,” said Professor Ted De Barbieri, Director, Community Economic Development Clinic within The Justice Center at Albany Law School. “With legal advice, referrals, legal information workshops, and full representation by one of our in -house clinics in The Justice Center, members of the community who have served are able to obtain impactful legal advice not otherwise offered in our area.”
Meet this summer’s Fellows:
Gienabou Diallo ’24
Placement: 18th Airborne Corps JAG company at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Undergraduate degree: Sociology, B.A, Africana Studies, M.A at University at Albany
Hometown: Bronx, NY
What are you enjoying about your placement?
I am currently working with 18th Airborne Corps JAG company at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. So far, my favorite part about this experience has been seeing the various roles that JAG officers play in the military and the leadership capacities they serve. I have been honored to see what humility looks like in the Army and I am truly grateful. I also had the opportunity to meet Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, the first Muslim person to serve as a federal judge. I was also able to jump off a plane with the Black Daggers (Special Forces), ride in a Black Hawk, and work with military dogs to see their skills! This internship not only gives legal experience, but also a peek into the adventurous life of full time active-duty life as a soldier here at Bragg. Like the JAG Corps say, “ Soldier First, Lawyer Always.”
What does it mean to be able to work in an area that helps veterans?
Being able to work in an area that helps veterans/soldiers is meaningful. When providing legal assistance, you are constantly dealing with clients who want you to draft wills in case they get deployed, or help them move to a different unit, or even help them file the right paperwork to finalize a separation or divorce. The first face your client sees is you and being able to help them is most rewarding.
What area of law do you hope to practice?
I spent most of my time working at Trial Defense Services, which is equivalent to a public defender’s office. I truly enjoy advocating for soldiers because it shows the human side of the Army. Furthermore, I think it’s important that every person has an advocate, even the accused, because justice may not always be served. Being on the side that can make a difference in someone’s military career really gives me purpose in that work that I am doing.
What are you looking forward to when you return to Albany Law for the fall?
I really miss my kitten Simby. I’ve been away from him for many months now, so I can’t wait to spend time with him! I am also looking forward to my classes and field placement. I am interning with Judge Ricja Rice this fall at City Hall and I am looking forward to learning all about what life will be like as a clerk.
Zoe Huber ’24
Placement: New York State Division of Veterans’ Services
Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from SUNY Albany
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
What are you enjoying about your placement?
I really love the work culture of the agency. I have a great relationship with my boss because he treats me like an adult and gives me the flexibility that all the employees of the office have.
What does it mean to be able to work in an area that helps veterans?
To work in an area that helps veterans means making sure that veterans and their families get the benefits they're entitled to under the law, since many of them don't know about these benefits and how to access them.
What area of law do you hope to practice?
I'm hoping to practice transactional law.
What are you looking forward to when you return to Albany Law for the fall?
I’m looking forward to getting to explore different areas of the law and challenging myself.
Eunice Lee ’24
Placement: U.S Attorney's Office
Undergraduate degree: Secondary Education
Hometown: Paramus, NJ
What are you enjoying about your placement?: I had the opportunity to sharpen my legal, writing and oral skills. I was also able to work on very interesting cases.
What does it mean to be able to work in an area that helps veterans?: It is definitely a rewarding experience and helps me learn more about federal cases involving veterans for the future.
What area of law do you hope to practice? I hope to practice corporate litigation
What are you looking forward to when you return to Albany Law for the fall? I am looking forward to taking my new classes that will help prep me for the bar exam and my career.
