June 24, 2025

Summer of Service: 2025 Pregerson Fellows Put Public Service Into Practice

Public service is central to Southwestern’s mission, shaping how students learn, grow, and contribute from the start. Each summer, the Judge Harry Pregerson Public Service Fellowship supports students pursuing careers in public interest law through placements across Southern California. From public defenders’ offices to government agencies and legal aid organizations, these roles offer a front-row seat to the realities of legal advocacy and the opportunity to serve where the need is greatest.

For the 2025 Pregerson Fellows, these placements represent more than résumé milestones. They are opportunities to grow into the kind of advocates they aspire to be. Here’s what they’re most looking forward to this summer.

Nicole Bala | Ventura County Public Defender’s Office  

Nicole Bala will return to the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office this summer, continuing the hands-on training that has shaped her commitment to criminal defense.

“I am excited to return to the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office and continue growing into the advocate I hope to become,” she says. “I aim to further develop the practical skills that are essential to a career in public defense and deepen my understanding of the criminal legal system.”

Her motivation remains deeply client-centered. “More than anything, I look forward to standing alongside individuals during some of the most challenging moments of their lives, amplifying their voices, and fighting for justice.”

Olivia Dilas | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of General Counsel

At the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of General Counsel, Olivia Dilas will join the Information and Administrative Law Group, where she’ll contribute to work involving privacy compliance, HIPAA obligations, FOIA, and internal agency procedures.

“This placement aligns with my commitment to public service and my interest in how legal standards shape institutional practices,” Olivia says. “I’m eager to contribute to the VA’s work while developing practical skills in regulatory and administrative law within a federal agency, as well as gaining firsthand experience with the legal structures that support effective and accountable agency operations.”

She’s also moved by the legacy behind the fellowship. “It’s meaningful to be part of a program that honors Judge Harry Pregerson’s legacy as both a veteran and lifelong public servant. His example reminds me of the responsibility and impact public interest lawyers can have in shaping institutions that serve the public good.”

Miranda Flores-Tirado | Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office

Miranda Flores-Tirado returns to the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office this summer—this time as a certified law clerk.

“After an impactful experience in that Office last year, I'm excited to return to deepen my understanding of the client-centered advocacy that public defenders provide,” she says. “In building on the client-facing experiences, legal research opportunities, and courtroom proceedings I observed last summer, I am especially looking forward to serving clients as a certified law clerk. This will allow me to take on different work while continuing to develop practical skills in the courtroom setting. This experience will be invaluable in preparing for a long-term career in public defense and in working towards becoming a dedicated, effective advocate for my community.”

Malina Manni | Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office

Malina Manni has already explored public defense as an intern. This summer, she’s shifting perspective, clerking at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

“As an undergraduate student, I interned for the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office, where I was deeply inspired by the mission of public defense and its alignment with my personal values,” she shares. “I came to law school with the goal of becoming a public defender, but above all, I am committed to learning as much as I can along the way and am genuinely excited to gain new perspectives of the criminal legal system from a different vantage point.”

“Since the Public Defender’s Office and District Attorney’s Office represent two sides of the same coin, it will be incredibly valuable to my longer-term career preparations to have firsthand experiences in both Offices.”

Isabella Meza | Ventura County Public Defender’s Office

For Isabella Meza, a summer at the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office is both professionally and personally meaningful.

“I am eager to begin my summer clerkship... and to gain hands-on experience in criminal defense and learn how to be a zealous advocate for those most marginalized by the legal system,” she says. “As a first-generation law student and the daughter of immigrants, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me.”

“I have seen how systemic racism and limited resources can result in unjust consequences for communities disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system. As a summer clerk, I will be part of a legal team and Office that not only defends the rights of individuals accused of crimes, but also works to ensure fair and just results for communities too often criminalized and overlooked.”

Victor Nonato | Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles

Victor Nonato will be clerking for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), building on prior experience in public service with a new focus on policy implementation.

“I’m looking forward to building on my previous experience in public service and diving into my first legal role,” he says. “This summer will be a valuable opportunity to understand how public housing agencies translate evolving housing laws and regulations into daily operations.”

“I look forward to contributing to the development and implementation of agency standards, policies, and practices that can make HACLA a more effective agency for the residents of Los Angeles. I am committed to learning as much as I can this summer and look forward to bringing all that I’ve learned from the experience back to Southwestern to share with others and in growing more confident in understanding and navigating the responsibilities of serving as a government lawyer. ”

Matthew Ospina | Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office

Matthew Ospina returns to the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office this summer with a unique assignment: helping launch a town hall program in the KG6 Unit—the “gay wing” of the L.A. Central Jail.

“Prior to law school, I served as a client advocate for the Public Defender’s Office and am excited to return as a law clerk,” he says. “In addition to the daily work in misdemeanor court, I will be assisting Assistant Public Defender Thomas Moore in launching a town hall program in the KG6 Unit.”

“The town hall program will bring together community partners and service providers, such as the Translatin@ Coalition, La Defensa, and the Public Defender’s Office, in identifying reintegration services vital to assisting individuals on their release. I will be compiling a report to present for the Public Defender’s Office on the recommendations for the mobilization of stakeholders and resources to best support this community’s reintegration efforts.”

Stephanie Rodriguez | Public Counsel’s Homelessness Prevention Law Project 

At Public Counsel’s Homelessness Prevention Law Project, Stephanie Rodriguez will be supporting a range of legal services aimed at increasing housing stability and access to justice.

“I am excited to contribute to Public Counsel’s mission of providing legal aid to some of the most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles,” she says. “I greatly admire their commitment to providing legal services to individuals unable to access legal aid due to barriers posed by socioeconomic status, language, or a lack of awareness of community resources.”

“I am eager to assist in advancing positive institutional and systemic change for the communities of Los Angeles, and I look forward to learning as much as possible this summer under the guidance of Public Counsel’s dedicated staff and attorneys.”
 

Paola Velazquez | Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office

Paola Velazquez brings a background in reentry and expungement services to her summer clerkship at the L.A. County Public Defender’s Office—work that hits close to home.

“This summer, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as a law clerk at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office,” she says. “I am especially looking forward to deepening my commitment to indigent defense and learning firsthand what it means to advocate for clients with empathy, diligence, and integrity.”

“More personally, I look forward to working with clients whose stories reflect the communities I come from. I deeply understand how the criminal system impacts individuals and families beyond the courtroom, and I want to be part of a team that approaches each case with care and compassion.”

“This fellowship allows me to focus entirely on public service work, and I’m incredibly thankful for the support. I hope to walk away from this summer with stronger skills and a clearer vision of the kind of public defender and community advocate I hope to become.”

This year’s Pregerson Fellows are spending their summers doing the kind of work that brought them to law school—serving the public, standing up for others, and learning how to be effective advocates. Their placements may vary, but their commitment to public service is the same. For these students, the summer ahead is both a learning opportunity and a meaningful step toward the work they’re preparing to do long term.