CLSR Fellows Program
Awarded annually to a new graduate of the school, the fellowship provides a salary and administrative support to enable the Fellow to engage in one or more substantive projects to advance a career in public interest law. Recent projects undertaken by New England Law Fellows:
- Representing citizens before the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board and other agencies in opposition to a proposed power plant.
- Collaborating with academics, community activists, state and local government agency representatives, and other public health experts to forge a workable plan to improve environmental conditions in Boston’s public housing communities.
- Working on a precedent-setting international law case related to a Belize dam project.
Previous Fellows
Susan Walton (2008-2009)
Susan Walton, a 2008 New England Law | Boston graduate, was the 2008-2009 fellow for the Center for Law and Social Responsibility (CLSR). Her contributions included working with Professor Peter Manus's Environmental Advocacy class on substantive projects with a local attorney. As the CLSR fellow, she also supported the Criminal Justice Project, Immigration Law Project, Women’s and Children’s Advocacy Project, and the Public Service Project.
In addition, Ms. Walton’s fellowship included an internship with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in the Natural Resource Damages (NRD) program. She worked on issues relating to groundwater protection, researching legal concerns with the Massachusetts General Laws relating to NRD claims and gathering information for potential NRD site claims.
Ms. Walton plans a career in state or public interest law. An Arizona native, she received her bachelor’s degree from Knox College in Galesburg, IL.
Sidra Vitale (2007-2008)
Sidra Vitale ('07) served as the 2007-2008 New England Law | Boston Fellow. As Fellow, she provided substantive and administrative support to the law school's three academic centers: the Center for International Law and Policy, the Center for Law and Social Responsibility, and the Center for Business Law. Her fellowship projects were in environmental law, and she represented 26 residents of Brockton and West Bridgewater, appearing pro bono before the Energy Facilities Siting Board and other agencies, in opposition to a proposed power plant. She was recognized in May 2008 for her work by Alternatives for Community and Environment. She also worked with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs on natural resource damages (NRD) issues, in particular, tracking NRD projects in other states, collating data on new NRD cases, and reviewing NRD for the Massachusetts Military Reservation.
Ms. Vitale has a B.S. from the University of California at Irvine and worked as a software analyst and web programmer before attending New England Law | Boston on a merit scholarship. She graduated cum laude. Lead Article Editor for the New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement, she received CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Environmental Law, Environmental Advocacy, and Indigenous Peoples' Rights. She co-chaired the Environmental Law Society, interned with the Environmental Protection Division of Attorney General's Office, and was a quarterfinalist in the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition.
Stephanie Sprague (2006-2007)
Stephanie Sprague, a 2006 New England Law | Boston graduate, served as the 2006-2007 Fellow for the Center for Law and Social Responsibility. Ms. Sprague provided substantive and administrative support to all three of the law school's academic centers: the Center for International Law and Policy, the Center for Law and Social Responsibility, and the Center for Business Law. Ms. Sprague also worked on a study of the implementation of the findings of a 2005 Massachusetts legislative commission on provision of indigent defense.
Ms. Sprague graduated magna cum laude and received a New England Law | Boston Service Award at Commencement. A technical editor of the New England Law Review and co-president of the National Lawyers Guild chapter, she received CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Civil Rights; Wills, Estates, and Trusts; UCC: Secured Transactions; and UCC: Sales. She was a student attorney in the Clinical Law Office and at Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and served a judicial internship with U.S. Federal Magistrate Judge Robert Collings. She received a B.A. from Syracuse University.
Regan Hildebrand (2005-2006)
Regan Hildebrand, a 2005 New England Law | Boston graduate, was the New England Law | Boston Fellow for 2005-2006. Mr. Hildebrand provided substantive and administrative support to all three of the law school's academic centers: the Center for International Law and Policy, the Center for Law and Social Responsibility, and the Center for Business Law. He assisted faculty in planning center conferences and symposia and provided support on research projects undertaken by center faculty. Among other activities, Mr. Hildebrand pursued projects involving international environmental law, which is his primary interest area.
His projects included working on a precedent-setting international law case related to a dam project in Belize and developing a day-long symposium on the science and law surrounding the status of environmental refugees.
Laura Bickel (2003-2004)
Laura Bickel, a 2003 New England Law | Boston graduate, served as fellow to the Center for Law and Social Responsibility's Environmental Advocacy Project during 2003-2004. Ms. Bickel and Professor Peter Manus worked with a collaborative of academics, community activists, state and local government agency representatives, and other public health experts to forge a workable plan to improve environmental conditions in Boston's public housing communities. Ms. Bickel worked for the City of Boston Department of the Environment after completing her fellowship, and is now a hearing officer with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
