Excited to Welcome our Summer 2022 Law Clerks

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Excited to Welcome our Summer 2022 Law Clerks

Disability Rights California places Law Clerks in our Legal Advocacy Unit, Investigations Unit, and Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy to assist our continually growing practice groups in directly meeting the advocacy needs of our clients.

We proudly provide a series of substantive trainings which highlight the many areas of expertise our agency offers such as legislation, litigation, the California Office of Patients’ Rights, and Peer Self-Advocacy,  to name a few.

Many clerks return for additional semesters, post-graduate work, and long-term employment. Several tenured DRC attorneys began their professional careers interning with us.

Please join us in welcoming our largest Law Clerk cohort yet!

 
Portrait of Chris Acosta

Chris Acosta (He/Him)

I hold a B.A. in English from UCLA and am currently a rising 3L at the University of San Diego School of Law.

Because of my own personal and professional experiences working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, I am extremely excited to take part in DRC’s mission of defending, advancing, and strengthening the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities. In my spare time, I enjoy playing and watching sports, roasting coffee, and listening to live music.

 
Portrait of Grace Allen

Grace Allen (she/her)

I am a rising 3L pursuing my J.D. at U.C. Berkeley School of Law. I hold a B.A. in Social Justice from New York University and a M.A. in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University. As a former teacher to system-impacted youth, I am proud to advocate for youth of all abilities inside and outside the classroom. On the weekends, you can usually find me hiking with my dog, Cowboy!

 
Portrait of Gabby Birog

Gabby Birog (she/her)

Gabby Birog is a rising 3L at Berkeley Law who is interested in the intersection between mental health, the criminal legal system, and immigration. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and listening to movie soundtracks. 

 
Portrait of Julia Elhai

Julia Elhai (She/Her) 

I am a rising 3L at City University of New York (CUNY) Law, a public interest only law school. I graduated from San Diego State University with my BA in International Security and Conflict Resolution in 2018 and am excited to make my way back to California!

I have worked as a disability advocate for the past three years at a independent living center in New York. In my spare time, you can catch me riding my bike, bouldering, or catching up on reality TV!

 
Portrait of Maya Fegan

Maya Fegan (she/her)

I’m originally from Honolulu, HI and moved to the Bay Area after graduating from Columbia University with a B.A. in Sociology. Last summer I interned with the East Bay Community Law Center’s Clean Slate unit, helping clients to access criminal record remedies. Over the past school year I worked with both Bay Area Legal Aid and EBCLC’s Health and Welfare Clinic, representing clients whose public benefits had been reduced or terminated, particularly In-Home Supportive Services and Social Security. In my free time, I am usually half-heartedly training for a sprint triathlon and hiking around the Bay.

 
Portrait of Xinyang Feng

Xinyang Feng (she/her)

I am a rising 3L at Pepperdine University School of Law and I hold a B.A in Psychology from Boston University. I am proud to join DRC as I have always believed in equal opportunities and sought to protect the rights of people with disabilities, especially in the field of education. I’m obsessed with crime drama and lately I’ve been binge watching Law & Order SVU in my spare time.

 
Portrait of Dorthy

Dorothy Grafilo (She/Her)

Dorothy’s family moved to San Diego from Manila, Philippines, when she was 7. Since then, she went to UCSD, graduating with honors and a double major in Political Science and Sociology. She is pursuing a law degree at California Western School of Law, with aspirations to pursue a career locally in civil rights or public interest. She is also heavily involved with APALSA! She will work this summer at Disability Rights of California as a law clerk in their housing department. When not studying for classes, she loves cooking, working out, and spending quality time with her fifteen-year-old cat, Jazz. 

 
Portrait of Sydney Louie

Sydney Louie (she/her)

I hold a B.A. in Literature from UC Santa Cruz and am currently a rising third-year at UC Davis School of Law, where I serve as the Law Student Association Wellness Representative. I am interested in health equity and mental health awareness, and I'm very excited to protect the rights of those with disabilities this summer. In my free time, I love painting, dancing, and spending time with my two rescue cats!

 
Portrait of Jillian MacLeod

Jillian MacLeod (she/her)

I hold a B.A. of Political Science with an American Politics emphasis and a Minor in Feminist Studies from UC Santa Barbara. I am currently living in San Francisco and attending UC Hastings Law where I am pursuing a Juris Doctorate and a Social Justice Lawyering Concentration. 

I am excited to be joining the Pathways to Work Practice Group in order to assist people with disabilities in accessing meaningful and empowering employment opportunities. I am also looking forward to meeting my peers and exploring more of the East Bay this summer!

In my spare time, I love to knit, sew, thrift, cook/bake with friends, and spend time outside. 

 
Portrait of Jason Kyle Masanque

Jason Kyle Masanque (he/him)

I am a third-year law student passionate about disabled, LGBTQIA+, and Asian-American issues--especially when those issues intersect. I earned my BA in political science from UC Riverside with a focus on European politics. I enjoy playing tennis (badly) and watching horror movies in my free time.

 
Portrait of Desiree Robedeaux

Desiree Robedeaux (she/her)

Desiree is a first-generation student from the Mojave Desert passionate about ensuring the rights of vulnerable people with disabilities are enforced and expanded. She has worked in various areas of disability rights over the past ten years. At Disability Rights California, she is focusing on California wildfire disaster resilience issues for individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs as the Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Program Student Fellow.

 
Portrait of David Fuentes Urias

David Fuentes Urías (he/him)

Bio: Hi, my name is David Fuentes Urías (he/him) and I am a rising 2L at UC Hastings from Santa Ana, CA. I am very passionate about Social Justice and decided to go to law school because a JD allows my voice to go further in advocating for members of communities such as disabled community which I am a part of. I am physically disabled and use a wheelchair to get around, but I have never allowed that to stop me from achieving my goals or helping others achieve theirs. Hobbies I have include listening to hip hop music, watching sports (huge Laker fan), and playing instruments such as the guitar. 

 
Portrait of Shelby Wayment

Shelby Wayment (she/her)

I have a B.S. in Writing & Rhetoric Studies and Political Science from the University of Utah. I am currently a rising 3L at Berkeley Law, and am passionate about voting and disability rights. In my spare time, I love hiking, reading, and trying new recipes!  

 
Portrait of Mathew Yanez

Matthew Yanez (he/his)

Mathew is a disability advocate that has worked with many disability organizations including the American Association of People with Disabilities, the National Association of the Deaf, the Coelho Center, and the Arc of the United States. He was recently invited to the Whitehouse to speak with Vice President Kamala Harris about the impact voting rights legislation would have on the disability community. Matthew is a rising 3L at Syracuse University College of Law where he is also pursuing an MPA with the Maxwell School of Citizenship. 

 
Portrait of Wilson

Wilson (he/him)

I am Wilson (he/him) and I'm a rising 3L at Berkeley Law. I'm interested in disability rights and criminal legal system reform. I enjoy baking and playing with my dog, Lily!